S/GWI PROJECT PROPOSAL SUBMISSIONS

UNCLAS KUWAIT 000152 SIPDIS STATE FOR NEA/ARP, STATE FOR S/GWI E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ECON KU SUBJECT: S/GWI PROJECT PROPOSAL SUBMISSIONS REF: STATE 09 132094 ¶1. (U) On February 2nd, Econoff delivered reftel points about the call for small grants proposals from the Secretary's Office of Global Women's Issues to Business and Professional Women Organization (BPW) members Maha A. Al-Baghli, the Senior Manager with the Kuwait Asia Holding Company and Maali ¶S. Al-Asousi, the Project Manager with the We Support Program. Al-Baghli and Al-Asousi agreed to share the call for proposals with all members. Per S/GWI's request, below are two proposals sent via email on Feb. 18th and submitted in order of priority: (1) E-Business Incubator and (2) BPW-Kuwait UN Taskforce. Begin Proposal One Text Global Women's Issues - Proposal for an E-Business Incubator E for Entrepreneurship, Electronic and Energetic Introduction The purpose of this proposal is to gain the Global Women's Issues support for the development of the entrepreneurial training module of the Almishkaht program. The name Almishkaht is derived from Verse 35 of the Revelation of Light in the Holy Quran and is indicative of our aim for greater enlightenment, knowledge and insight. Guidance & Inspiration Almishkaht Center is highly inspired by our role model and light of our life Oprah Winfrey! The leadership academy that Oprah established in South Africa is a magnificent inspiration for the development of leadership skills and education programs for women. At Almishkaht Center, we care about the future of all nations and we care about providing a safe haven for working mothers to focus on their careers during working hours and to balance that with caring for their children and families. Problem Statement Women in Kuwait face a number of cultural and local based issues that hinder the development of their skills and undermine their dreams. Although highly educated, they lack the opportunities for research collaboration and development of independent entrepreneurial capabilities amid the torment of incessant social obligations and limited government support. Kuwait lacks business incubators to develop new ideas and products and small businesses are overwhelmed with government regulations. A majority of women face husbands who are unwilling to support their initiatives and who force a stay-at-home mentality. This mentality is often the result of male-oriented interpretations of religion. Project Description With the Global Women's Issues funding, Almishkaht Center is planning to host an awareness event to showcase the need for business incubation and entrepreneurship. We hope to tackle the obstacles that small businesses face from our own experience and to address the feedback of participants. Our desired outcome is full fledged support for a business incubator and accelerator in Kuwait which uses Almishkaht's membership in the Kuwait Economic Society and Business and Professional Women's Organization to host the proposed awareness event. Timeline >Electronic Team Website Module, 3-6 months >Entrepreneurial Awareness Campaign, 4 months >Workshare Workstations, 12 months Requirements >Funding for the Entrepreneurial Awareness Campaign >Entrepreneurial Training Package >Speakers and Consultants >Sales Team >Venue and Hosting Costs >US Embassy Endorsement and support End Proposal One Text Begin Proposal Two Text BPW-Kuwait UN Taskforce BPW Kuwait is a chapter of the International Federation of Business and Professional Women, established in Kuwait in 2009 under the umbrella of the Kuwait Economic Society. BPW aims to empower women to fully participate in economic life across all sectors of Kuwaiti economy. BPW-Kuwait is currently working on a project in collaboration with UNIFEM and the United Nations Global Compact to empower women in the workplace. BPW-Kuwait is seeking funding from the Global Women's Initiative to train businesses on how to empower, advance and invest in women in the workplace based on the Seven Principles of Women's Empowerment. BPW-Kuwait will host a series of roundtable discussions on the benefits of equal pay for women and how the Seven Principles can be customized to fit Kuwaiti culture and corporate environment. BPW's Primary Messages: >Empower women in the workplace. >Gender equality and diversity enhances business success and business competitiveness. >Gender equality will help Kuwait achieve internationally agreed upon goals for development and human rights. End Proposal Two Text ********************************************* ********* For more reporting from Embassy Kuwait, visit: visit Kuwait's Classified Website at: http://www.intelink.sgov.gov/wiki/Portal:Kuwa it ********************************************* ********* WILLIAMS