500 Afghan Women Are Transforming Their World

I am delighted to report that five hundred Afghan women have successfully managed to create a space for themselves in Afghanistan's male dominated agro industry. Two years ago, these women, along with Global Partnership for Afghanistan, began working on a strawberry farming project in search of a sustainable income stream.

Providing more details, the project's Executive Director, Kate McLetchie mentioned, "The project has enabled women to corner a previously unexplored section of the agricultural market in Afghanistan. Because strawberries are a new crop, wholesalers and producers alike were able to move into a space typically dominated by men for other crops. Women wholesalers were able to make successful sales at local shops owned and operated by men. The project established women as the primary wholesalers and traders of strawberries in the three provinces where the project has operated. Networks are immensely vital to the economic success of women entrepreneurs and to this end this project has connected women producers and wholesalers to shops and retailers, creating relationships that will lead to a steady revenue stream for many years to come."

While the money will help them ensure a better lifestyle, education and healthcare for their families, these women are also learning first hand how true happiness comes from sharing.

Learn more and see if you can help our Afghan sisters - Click Here!

#5Mindfulness #TrueHappiness #GoodCitizens #GlobalGiving #GlobalPartnershipForAfghanistan #AfghanWomen #Afghanistan

1200 Employees Get Houses, Cars And Jewelry As Bonus

An Indian diamond jewelry export firm, Hari Krishna Exports, has rewarded 1200 employees with two-bedroom houses, Fiat Punto cars and jewelry as a part of their performance linked loyalty bonus plan.

"This is part of our rewards for loyalty program for employees who have shown high degree of performance in the past five years," Savji Dholakia, chairman and managing director of Hari Krishna Exports told reporters.

"Only 1,200 employees qualified for the rewards", said Dholakia, "the gift items were given based on the current needs of the employees. The employees who did not own a house were given the first preference for house. Those who owned a house were eligible for a car while the employees who had both a house and a car were given jewelry."

Hari Krishna Exports has a turnover of a little over $800 million and employs 6000 workers.

I am hoping that more companies follow suit to help improve the lifestyle of their employees. A good entrepreneur is not driven by greed but by the unselfish motivation of contributing to society in a manner that reduces economic inequalities. They don't need to make it to the Forbes list of billionaires.