Woman united in Business

Let your light shine Brightly!

2012-01-24T02:07:00.000-08:00

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.” ~ Marianne Williamson

Protection for women a top foreign policy priority

2010-02-05T22:18:00.000-08:00

Rita Mahato, a mother of three, works as a health adviser for the Women’s Rehabilitation Centre (WOREC) in Nepal, counseling rape victims and registering cases of domestic violence routinely dismissed by the local police. In June 2007, a mob of more than 60 men surrounded her offices, threatening to rape and kill Rita and her colleagues – demanding that they end their work. Three years later, Rita and her team continue to be threatened, harassed and physically abused, yet the police have failed to take action. Despite threats to her life, Rita perseveres defending the human rights of women and seeking justice for victims of domestic and sexual violence....Posted by: Larry Cox Originally posted on Politico.com by Sen. John F. Kerry, Rep. Bill Delahunt, Kerry Kennedy & Larry Cox

http://networkedblogs.com/p26943329?a=share&ref=nf

Our eyes are opened. Now we can read and write. Actually, now we have come to know the value of an educated person in a society. We thank AIL for enlightening rural areas with the lights of education.

2010-01-10T01:36:00.000-08:00

December 2009 Newsletter -

Afghan women and children had no access to education for a decade. After the fall of the Taliban in 2001, the Afghan Institute of Learning organized Educational Learning Centers (ELCs) to bring women life-saving healthcare and education. AIL helps local leaders start ELCs and decide where and what services to offer. AIL has requests for ELCs from many communities that have not historically been open to education for women. AIL now supports 44 ELCs in Afghanistan and refugee camps of Pakistan...

Women's Education in Afghanistan

"It is vitally important that all structures of government should fully understand that freedom cannot be achieved unless women have been emancipated from all forms of oppression, unless we see in visible and practical terms that the condition of women in our country has radically changed for the better, and that they have been empowered in all spheres of life as equals..." Nelson Mandela

In 2010 follow your heart and shoot for the moon then even if you miss, you'll still land among the stars."

2009-12-31T09:07:00.000-08:00

If you take responsibility for yourself you will develop a deep hunger to accomplish your goals.
Excellence is the result of caring more than others think is wise, risking more than others think is safe, dreaming more than others think is practical, and expecting more than others think is possible. —Anonymous

"As Christmas waves its magic wand over this world, everything becomes softer and more beautiful..."

2009-12-22T18:55:00.000-08:00

This photo was taken in a quaint street in Lichtenstein by my daughter Arielle. It was decorating a tree in a private garden, overhanging their fence. Switzerland was a Christmas wonderland.

Follow your heart, believe in your dreams and have faith in your future...

2009-12-22T18:52:00.001-08:00

Everything in the past is either a learning experience to grow on, a beautiful memory to reflect on, or a motivating factor to act upon.

2009-12-22T18:50:00.000-08:00

2009-12-22T18:49:00.000-08:00

It is from a place of self-worth and empowerment that we can look at the world as a place where we can freely express who we are and can surround ourselves with people who honour, love and respect us, as we honour, love and respect ourselves. As Christmas fills us with wonder and excitement may that carry through to the new year as we tackle all that life has in store for us with renewed strength, and the conviction that we can brave the storm and through it stop to enjoy the rainbows and finally, learn to dance in the rain. Being in business is a continuation of who we are, as we become strong and resilient and learn to act upon what life presents us and not react, we inspire those around us and in our unique way, make the world a better place for us and for our children. It is a great honour to be a woman and we must make a stand for our freedom to express our womanhood and to be allowed the opportunity to do so.

2009-12-07T00:14:00.000-08:00

When I was young the future seemed bright and I was ready to soar to new heights, to explore and venture out into the unknown, then with age I became afraid of falling wants again and the fear of failure became very evident in the decisions I made. Yes, it is good to be wise, and cautious and responsible, but what happened to brave and fearless - with time I started to fear risks, decision-making and change and sometimes it was just so much easier to simply remain stagnant. It was much less threatening than taking a step forward. Then I realized I was in quick sand, at first it seemed familiar and welcoming but then I found I was slowly drowning, suffocating and being pulled down by my own complacency and because I was no longer moving forward I became the victim instead of the victor and was no longer in control of my own life ~ even though moving will result in you occasionally stumbling and even falling, inactivity will slowly crush your soul. The victory comes in standing up again, taking another step forward and as we gain momentum we will shake off the “what ifs,” the “I can’t’s” and “I don’t know how’s.”

Life's a journey not a destination ~ stop to smell the roses along the way.

2009-12-06T23:39:00.000-08:00

2009-12-06T23:15:00.000-08:00

“The beauty of life is, while we cannot undo what is done, we can see it, understand it, learn from it and change. So that every new moment is spent not in regret, guilt, fear or anger, but in wisdom, understanding and love.” ~ Jennifer Edwards

2009-12-06T12:13:00.001-08:00

As inspiration strikes you, let it propel you on to bigger and brighter things. You can make sweeping changes and can take on bold plans as long as your heart it in it and you have faith in yourself and in what you are doing. I always try to push forward with fresh enthusiasm and passion knowing that the results of my continued efforts will show and bear fruit. As I learn to reconnect with myself so I am able to make the necessary connections both at home and in my work place. It’s all about radiating confidence – I believe in me, therefore you should too. I can be both feminine and forceful and no longer feel the need to prove myself to anyone... “sing as if it’s your last song on earth, when you dance, give it your all, when you work do it with joy.”

“The things we fear most in organizations - fluctuations, disturbances, imbalances - are the primary sources of creativity.” ~ Margaret J. Wheatley

2009-12-04T02:16:00.001-08:00

Change is the one thing we can be certain about – the one thing we can be sure of is that nothing will ever stay the same. The world as we know it is continually renewing and transforming its self. This is good and needs to be embraced; you can’t fight or stifle change but can use it to your advantage. It is because of change that we are pushed beyond our limits and our true natures and leadership qualities emerge as we are nudged and most times pushed into taking action and rising from a place of complacency and mediocrity.

Your creativity flows out of change and can turn the most unlikely items into visual poetry. If you let your imagination run riot you will find that you surprise even yourself as your enthusiasm carries through to those around you. Trust your instinct or intuition and let it guide you in making decisions, often the first impression is the right one. Whether it’s in business, career or your personal life always speak your truth and have your say; that way you get to clear the air, you get closure and it opens you up to new and exciting opportunities and endless possibilities. Face anything you’re unhappy about head on and your good energy will sweep out old insecurities and bring positive thoughts in their place. When you feel really good about yourself everything else falls into place around you. Convert bad feelings into vibrant drive for change – be the change that you want to see at home, at the work place and in the world. By embracing new concepts we invite positive energy into our lives – we get out of ruts that are keeping us back and transform our insecurities into new found confidence. Today is the right time to dream up ideas for the future – your imagination is limitless and your brilliant ideas and energy will make it happen. If you keep the energy flowing smoothly and open yourself up to new opportunities and possibilities your career and social status will steady climb up to greater recognition and you will be able to impress exactly the right person at exactly the right time!

"Everything in life evolves, our relationships, views, philosophies, beliefs, actions and reactions. The driving force behind these changes are numerous but all come down to the very same thing, progress. As we progress through life we change our views, our priorities shift, and this forces us to reevaluate every aspect of our lives.

We develop dreams over time that change our destiny, we encounter experiences that force us to find solutions, both to overcome the bad, and capitalize on the good. It is our ability to deal with these demands for change and our approach to dealing with it that determines success or failure.

It is only in disharmony that we are necessitated to focus on creating harmony. To achieve this, we are forced to deal with problems beyond the realms of convention. At times like this, our focus shifts and our vantage points are realigned in an effort, to think radically and to find the aspect that can be capitalized upon. We are, therefore, forced to find a solution that is tied up in our very own thought processes. We are required to think laterally. This means that we deny the obvious approaches which are based in comfort, familiarity and emotion and find those solutions that are found in creativity and innovation.

It is true that such a radical change places an extra burden on our commitment as it is totally imbedded in the unknown. We are, therefore, forced to leave the comfort of familiarity and find our way in unchartered waters. This is what risk taking is all about. It isn’t a gamble; it is a well executed plan of action that finds itself in areas of unfamiliarity and unpredictability. This environment soon becomes familiar and stable and at some point, even this new found comfort zone will become stagnant and will require us to commit to the next step of evolving through life.

Although this is daunting, it presents every living thing on planet earth with the most wonderful opportunity, the opportunity to grow. This is life, this is what we feel when we see a sun rise, or a migration of wildlife or even a pop star coming from nowhere and reaching the stars. This is what we all crave in our most primitive self. It is this desire to grow which is imbedded in every fiber of our being that gave us the wonderful things we have today.

So let’s embrace change, let’s commit to growth and let us find the time to help each other overcome those obstacles that stand in the way of growth." - FreeMarket

“It is easy to love the people far away. It is not always easy to love those close to us. It is easier to give a cup of rice to relieve hunger than to relieve the loneliness and pain of someone unloved in our own home. Bring love into your home for this.” ~ Mother Teresa

2009-12-03T00:01:00.000-08:00

It all starts at our doorstep. Treat others as you would want them to treat you, your employers or employees watch you all the time, they are cognizant of how your treat your husband, children ec. If you are open and receptive to those at home that will carry over to your work and your colleagues and employers will find you approachable and charitable at work as well - charity begins at home. We need to change the world one home at a time and that begins with our own. In order to be an upstanding citizen you have to be an upstanding wife, mother. We are so busy fighting the war at large that we lose the battle at home – what does it matter if you win the whole world but have no true friends? I would rather have the honest love and devotion of my daughter than that of thousands of misguided fans. What is the use if I feed the hungry masses but my daughter is at home starving for love and attention? If she feels loved and cared for she will feed the masses with me by my side.

"I can’t agree more...

The essence of charity at home is based in respect and love. It is not about compulsion to do something or responsibility to meet an obligation, but rather desire to give without expectation of compensation. Such a selfless commitment gives dignity and hope, opposed to the result of acting simply on responsibility and obligation, which only results in guilt and shame to the recipient of the charity.

It is only when we are true to ourselves that we are able to give so selflessly. Therefore, to achieve this we must first love who we are, with all our faults, shortcomings and flaws, then we must love those around us with all their faults, shortcomings and flaws. We must learn to forgive at every level, to think in terms of the wonder of being alive and to reach out to find the hope in every thing and situation.

It is not charity that is egocentric; it doesn’t make you a hero when you do that which is right or a martyrer when you have to give to the point of exhaustion. It is charity that is tied to the core of being, it is charity that sees the beauty of life in everything, and which attaches such value to it that not to act in a charitable manner will go against the very fabric of humanity.

True charity, therefore, is not in the action but in the attitude." - FreeMarket

"The thing that is really hard, and amazing, is giving up on being perfect and beginning the work of becoming yourself." - Anna Quindlen

2009-11-29T12:37:00.000-08:00

"Always be a first-rate version of yourself, instead of a second-rate version of somebody else." ~ Judy Garland

"Nobody cares if you can't dance well. Just get up and dance. Great dancers are not great because of their technique, they are great because of their passion." ~ Martha Graham

2009-11-29T12:03:00.000-08:00

"Life is not about living in excess but living with values. It is not about being perfect but rather not giving up. I can go on and on, but the reality is that passion is not so much extroverted action as it is a sense of comfort that you have and which others can see and feel.

Passion is the conviction that you have, that drives you no matter what. It is built upon ideals and hope. It lets you plan the detail, without losing sight of the big picture. It lets you achieve the big picture without destroying everything around you on your way to the top.

I have learned in life that passion is about people. It is never about goals, or targets or anything else. In business, only those who are truly passionate about people, their own staff and customers alike, will achieve long term success. Not a success marked by materialism only but success embedded in values, love, caring and responsibility.

I have seen poor millionaires, and broke people that are wealthy. It is not about what you have, but what you are, that defines you, and it is this definition of who you are that presents itself as passion or in some cases a lack total of passion." - FreeMarket

Sell a dream not simply a product

2009-11-23T21:28:00.000-08:00

Are you a visionary leader?

2009-11-21T07:27:00.000-08:00

Visionary leaders work with imagination, insight, and boldness. Keeping their eyes on the horizon, they work with power and purpose. They are social innovators who can see the big picture and think strategically. They can motivate and encourage themselves and others and lead not only by example and word, but also with insight, determination and boldness.

Visionary leaders search for solutions that transcend the usual approaches, whilst addressing problems face on to create real breakthroughs. Working with imagination, insight, and boldness they bring forth the best in people and bring them together around a shared sense of purpose.

A visionary leader can not only envision the future but can articulate their future dream with great inspiration well as a clear sense of direction as to how to get there. They are men/woman of action who can bring his/her vision into being in the world, thus transforming not only the present in a positive way, but also the future.

A visionary leader is effective in manifesting his or her vision because he/she creates specific, achievable goals, initiates action and enlists the participation of others. He/she has the ability to mobilize others and install in them a sense of purpose; this requires clear vision, determination, discipline and innovative action.

They install in others a sense of purpose and meaning, a new sense of hope and confidence in achieving their vision. Their vision will be clear and attainable. They turn the imposable into the possible, the unachievable into the achievable buy offering a clear vision of what is possible thereby treading where others are afraid to tread.

By their actions and words they touch a certain inner note that people recognize and respond to.
They intuitively draw on inner strength and ageless wisdom and present it in a new and dynamic way so as to meet the particular need of the times.

Good relationships are at the heart of effective visionary leaders. They embody a deeply caring approach to their staff, acknowledging them as their greatest asset and treating them with warmth and respect and in doing so the employees then treat one another and customers the same way.

They implement a partnership approach in their business and create a shared sense of vision and meaning with others. They see not only the collective but also the individual needs while at the same installing in their workers a sense of “comradeship” realising that they are part of a whole, a team! They exhibit a greater respect for others and carefully develop team spirit and team learning. Building this sense of shared vision and partnership is key to the effectiveness of any business.

A true leader can see the larger picture, and help others to find the courage within themselves to pursue their dreams.

Visionary leaders are especially noted for creating strategies that are “outside the box” of conventional thought. They anticipate change and are proactive, rather than reactive. They don’t react to situations, they act. They are willing to take risks and their focus is on opportunities, not on problems.

To be a leader you must be willing to step forward and take the initiative,to stand for something you believe in passionately. One must be able to articulate your vision, to put it into action and take on yourself the burden of commitment, responsibility and accountability, remembering always, that with great leadership comes even greater responsibility!

"What is described here is the life of Larry Page and Sergey Brin, the visionaries behind Google. Their ability to think outside the box, to motivate others and to develop a strong and dynamic team translated their vision into a multi-billion dollar reality.

But it wasn’t without its obstacles. Google, during its history, had to raise finance to float itself on a number of occasions; it was involved in numerous legal battles and in more recent month’s retrenchments. The webguild report claims that google could be lying off as many as 10,000 of its 30,000 workforce.

http://www.webguild.org/2008/11/google-layoffs-10000-workers-affected.php

The reality is that even vision and visionaries do not stand separate from the larger economy. What is absolutely certain, however, is that to survive the present global economic crisis will require the vision that only visionaries can bring to the table.

This, however, must take place at an economic, financial, legal and political level. If our recovery is indeed linked to visionaries then many sectors within our society are in deep trouble. The reason is that we are not breeding a culture that allows vision and visionaries to develop. Our education systems seek to develop a level of conformity that is based upon a boxed type of thinking. To think outside the box is seldom encouraged and is more often actively discouraged.

What exactly is meant by thinking outside the box?

It is s not an abandonment of good sense and experience but rather a viewpoint shift that allows for an uncontaminated perspective of current issues. It is, therefore, not an abandonment of experience but an embrace of the strategic alternatives could have been applied to historical problems. It is, therefore, a personal challenge to view everything critically, to consider alternative options and to actively implement these options along strict management philosophies. It is an “open” approach where we plan in detail, organize its execution down to the smallest element and lead others to do the same. But it doesn’t stop here; it demands a strict control in which everything is measured. But above everything else, vision, demands a commitment to change and adaptation. Unless we are willing to adapt in line with the results of our controls and replan we simply stagnate and become mundane." - FreeMarket

November 22, 2009 1:03 AM

One Laptop per child project

2009-11-19T23:44:00.000-08:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PM33EEAszHA

Their mission is to empower the children of developing countries to learn by providing one connected laptop to every school-age child in order to help make education for the world’s children a priority, not a privilege.

In 2002, MIT Professor Nicholas Negroponte experienced first-hand how connected laptops transformed the lives of children and their families in a remote Cambodian village. A seed was planted: If every child in the world had access to a computer, what potential could be unlocked? What problems could be solved? These questions eventually led to the foundation of One Laptop per Child, and the creation of the XO laptop.

OLPC’s mission is to provide a means for learning, self-expression, and exploration to the nearly two billion children of the developing world with little or no access to education. While children are by nature eager for knowledge, many countries have insufficient resources to devote to education—sometimes less than $20 per year per child (compared to an average of $7,500 in the United States). By giving children their very own connected XO laptop, we are giving them a window to the outside world, access to vast amounts of information, a way to connect with each other, and a springboard into their future, and to help these countries develop an essential resource—educated, empowered children.

http://laptop.org/en/

World March for peace and nonviolence

2009-11-19T23:19:00.000-08:00

World March for peace and nonviolence

Let’s start walking! World march for peace and nonviolence -
http://www.theworldmarch.org/

Pope Benedict XVI blesses the World March for Peace and Nonviolence - http://www.theworldmarch.org/index.php?lang=eng

Hungry to learn! Child takes initiative...

2009-11-19T00:07:00.000-08:00

Millions of children around the world are not getting a proper education, if any, because their families are just too poor to afford to send them to school. In India, one schoolboy is trying to change that...

At 16 years old, Babar Ali must be the youngest headmaster in the world. He's a teenager who is in charge of teaching hundreds of students in his family's backyard, where he runs classes for poor children from his village.
The story of this young man from Murshidabad in West Bengal is a remarkable tale of the desire to learn amid the direst poverty.
His “school” already has some 800 students.

Babar Ali's day starts early...

He wakes, pitches in with the household chores, then jumps on an auto-rickshaw which takes him part of the 10km (six miles) ride to the Raj Govinda school. He then has to walk the last couple of kilometres.
There are hundreds of students, boys and girls. The classrooms are bare but neat. There are desks, chairs, a blackboard, and the teachers are all dedicated and well-qualified.
Babar Ali gives lessons just the way he has heard them from his teachers. Some children are seated in the mud, others on rickety benches under a rough, homemade shelter. The family chickens scratch around nearby. In every corner of the yard are groups of children studying hard.

Babar Ali was just nine when he began teaching a few friends as a game. They were all eager to know what he learnt in school every morning and he liked playing at being their teacher. Babar Ali is the first member of his family ever to get a proper education.

All his students are from poor families, all taught for free. Most of the girls come here after working, like Chumki, as domestic helps in the village, and the boys after they have finished their day's work labouring in the fields.

"In the beginning I was just play-acting, teaching my friends," Babar Ali says, "but then I realised these children will never learn to read and write if they don't have proper lessons. It's my duty to educate them, to help our country build a better future."

Including Babar Ali there are now 10 teachers at the school, all, like him are students at school or college, who give their time voluntarily. Babar Ali doesn't charge for anything, even books and food are given free, funded by donations. It means even the poorest can come here.

"Our area is economically deprived," he says. "Without this school many kids wouldn't get an education, they'd never even be literate."

Seated on a rough bench squeezed in with about a dozen other girls, Chumki Hajra is busy scribbling notes.
Her dedication to learning is incredible to see. Every day she works in homes in the village from six in the morning until half past two in the afternoon, then she heads to Babar Ali's school. At seven every evening she heads back to do more cleaning work.
Her dream is to one day become a nurse, and Babar Ali's classes might just make it possible.

The school has been recognised by the local authorities, it has helped increase literacy rates in the area, and Babar Ali has won awards for his work.

The youngest children are just four or five, and they are all squeezed in to a tiny veranda. There are just a couple of bare electric bulbs to give light as lessons stretch into the evening, and only if there is electricity.
And then the monsoon rain begins. Huge drops fall as the children scurry for cover, slipping in the mud. They crowd under a piece of plastic sheeting. Babar Ali shouts an order. Lessons are cancelled for the afternoon otherwise everyone will be soaked. Having no classrooms means lessons are at the mercy of the elements.
The children climb onto the porch of a nearby shop as the rain pours down. Then they hurry home through the downpour. Tomorrow they'll be back though. Eight hundred poor children, unable to afford an education, but hungry for anything they can learn at Babar Ali's school.

Without this school many kids wouldn't get an education, they'd never even be literate.

Taken from BBC News
'Hungry to learn across the world'
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/8299780.stm

"This story is commendable and heart warming. It tells about a boy with limited means, doing the impossible. What is hidden in the text is the failure of business and government. At some point this lack of service delivery must stop.

According to the United Nations - Human rights are rights inherent to all human beings, whatever our nationality, place of residence, sex, national or ethnic origin, colour, religion, language, or any other status. We are all equally entitled to our human rights without discrimination. These rights are all interrelated, interdependent and indivisible.
http://www.ohchr.org/EN/Issues/Pages/WhatareHumanRights.aspx
According to the International Bill of Human Rights, General Assembly resolution 217 A (III) dating back to the 10th of December 1948, a lack of education is not only a human rights failure (Articles 22-27) but undermines every other right afforded under the Bill.
The failure of any government to provide adequate education through financial, logistical and resources support is to deny its citizens their basic human rights. It is obvious from this article that the poorest of the poor is denied their rights. The question is, why are governments still getting away with this?" - FreeMarket

Business is about tuning water into wine.

2009-11-18T22:35:00.001-08:00

Business is a continuous cycle of evaluation, adaptation and re-implementation. We need to be willing to implement new ideas and strategies. We cannot continually resist change as change is a constant. The world of technology is continually changing and we shouldn’t be afraid to implement it and let it work for us. We also have to continually reassess the way we manage our staff. What was acceptable business practise in the past does not necessary equate to today and what motivates people changes as well. It is about making adaptations to correct levels of underperformance which is rated against the efficiency of capital, cash and time. The basic components of management are planning; organizing; leadership and control all of which need to be tied into a continuous cycle of evaluation, adaptation and re-implementation. It’s about adaptation, change, flexibility and learning - revolutionising your business and turning the mundane into the spectacular!!

Know when to Quit

2009-11-17T22:27:00.000-08:00

If you are in business you are most likely there because you are competitive by nature. This competitiveness is our greatest personal asset, and without it our chances of success in business would be extremely slim. It can, however, also be our worst enemy.

In business, as with everything in life, the key is in knowing when to quit. There comes a time where our resources of capital, time and effort has no probability of delivering a return. Effectively we are merely wasting our resources. This irrational decision is often based upon the assumption, that if we continue for long enough and throw enough money into a venture, that it will succeed.

Although this may work in a small percentage of cases, the dominant result remains failure. This begs the question, when do we quit. When is quitting not merely giving up but a strategic act of closure? There may be many ways to arrive at the decision to quit, or rather to walk away:
Donald Trump states that “If you don’t see the benefits of the deal anymore, have the willpower to walk away from it”. He offers some advice in the form of three core questions to answer:

Does the deal still make sense to you? This means that you need to measure the present state of the business against your initial expectation.

Do your alternatives look a lot more attractive? This means that you must always have a second plan against which to compare performance, expectation and requirements.

Has the atmosphere changed from cooperative to hostile? Mr. Trump’s rational that people only do successful business with people they trust, is an important one, and in my view takes centre stage in this decision making process.

For more helpful insights into whether or not a business is still viable go to...

http://praablog.livejournal.com/

"World’s most powerful weapon? Not guns, bombs, or planes, but SCHOOLS." - Queen Rania

2009-11-15T07:40:00.000-08:00

Queen Rania al Abdullah – avid campaigner for children and woman’s rights

Oprah Winfrey Showhttp://www.queenrania.jo/content/modulePopup.aspx?secID=&itemID=1160&ModuleID=press&ModuleOrigID=intr

With a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration and an Honorary Doctorate in International Relations as well as an Honorary Degree in Educational Sciences she has been dubbed “the new face of 21st century Arab Feminism” by time magazine. Queen Rania of Jordan is known for her natural style and elegance and love of designer goods. She is outspoken against honour killings and an advocate for children's welfare, violence against women, social equality and the environment. She established the Jordan River Foundation which introduced a system of micro-financing that allows women access to low-interest loans to finance small businesses for low-income entrepreneurs. Her foundation also established the first shelter for abused children in the Jordan region. She also set up the Madrasati Initiative in Jordan which renovates public schools in the country. She is the Honorary Global Chair of the United Nations Girls’ Education Initiative which promotes and protects the rights of girls to have an education and amongst others board member of the Foundation for International Community Assistance. She was awarded the Inaugural You Tube Visionary Award for using the website as a platform for positive change after launching her own Internet channel of YouTube with a series of videos in which she addresses issues concerning women in the Middle East as well as debunking myths and stereotypes about Muslims and Arabs. She is ranked 75th in the Forbes 100 most powerful woman list.

"Each country in the developing world needs a representative of female education like this. A recent article in the Economist http://www.economist.com/displaystory.cfm?story_id=14743589, highlighted the relationship between education and a decline in the number of children a women will have in her lifetime.
This is not a feminist issue, nor is it an issue of rights. It is an issue of human survival. Our impact on the environment is undeniable, and the only way to reduce our carbon footprint is by reducing our global population growth. The answer, therefore, seems to be related to education. An empowered female workforce has fewer children, translating into a better quality of life and a smaller impact on the environment.
I am of the opinion that women should take hands globally to develop structures to ensure quality education for girls across the planet" - FreeMarket

The ability to triumph begins with you.

2009-11-14T09:36:00.000-08:00

From a humble background, enduring many hardships and struggling with drugs and rebellion Oprah Winfrey rose to amass a great fortune through media and publishing and is now one of America's most influential women.

Eventually after her parents divorced and she lived with her mother she moved in with her strict father and although her wild behaviour conflicted with his strict rules and high standards she began to settle after being awarded a University Scholarship.

"I knew there was a way out. I knew there was another kind of life because I had read about it. I knew there were other places, and there was another way of being." Oprah Winfrey

...books were my pass to personal freedom. I learned to read at age three, and soon discovered there was a whole world to conquer that went beyond our farm in Mississippi.

Oprah studied at the Tennessee State University and received a BA in Speech and Performing Arts. Her father's high standards inspired her to aim for and achieve more from life. Winfrey became involved in several groups and pursued her interests in media and journalism while at University. Even though her early years in life where filled with hardship, she was always gifted with intelligence and she graduated as an honours student...and the rest is history.

“It doesn’t matter who you are, and where you come from. The ability to triumph begins with you. Always” Oprah Winfrey

"I have noticed that there is a definite relationship between self discipline and success. Successful individuals have all learned how to apply self discipline to themselves, this includes elements of restraint, respect and compassion.

Oprah's story represents the difference between the development of personal potential versus specific performance. Personal potential is developed through self discipline and commitment but comes from within. It is driven by the will to succeed and to be different. Specific performance on the other hand is driven by external requirements and becomes goal orientated. Once the goal is achieved the performance level drops.
For example a person develops her personal potential to fulfill her dream of becoming an engineer. She works hard, applies self discipline and commitment and eventually through much struggling develops the skills and knowledge to truly apply mathematics to problems. These skills will remain with her for her entire life.
One the other hand is a girl who is required by loved ones to achieve 80% for her math test. She has no dream and the 80% mark becomes a goal, she works hard, learns how to answer the exam questions and achieves her goal. After this her level of interest drops back. Here is no lasting result, but only a temporary one.
Potential development is efficient, whereas specific performance is inefficient. The core, however, is in the dream. Oprah had a dream to break free from her circumstances; she had the commitment to become a disciplined person and to achieve great things. So what motivated her to demonstrate this commitment?...
A dream!" - FreeMarket