Some have lived through war, and some have languished in poverty, yet twenty-eight women entrepreneurs from Afghanistan and Rwanda came to Dallas to attend a business boot camp and mentorship program. Their businesses range from fashion to car mechanics; from recycling and waste management to film production.

PEACE THROUGH BUSINESS® provides opportunities for women to gain economic empowerment through an eight-week course that focuses on creating business plans, as well as teaching them about accounting, marketing and overall operations. The program, a part of the Institute for Economic Empowerment of Women (IEEW), is built on the understanding that economically stable societies have a much greater capacity for peace. Support from sponsors including AT&T, has enabled opportunities for each woman to gain valuable skills and insight that they can use to strengthen and grow their own businesses, and train others in their communities to do the same.