This past ten days I spent the week as both a facilitator and faculty member at a very special program- The Women Leaders of The World Program of Santa Clara University (www.gwln.org). The program has been born from the Global Women’s Leadership Network and Sponsored by The Leavy School of Business. The eighteen women who attended entered a journey of exploration to discover how they can return back to their countries with greater skills, abilities and more confidence to accomplish often very challenging missions with in their respective countries.
The women attending were from eight countries including :Kenya,Uganda,Mexico,Turkey, Japan, Afghanistan, the United States and Poland.Their projects covered such concerns as the creation of equal education in Malawi, developing democracy and education opportunities in Eastern Europe, the creation of women’s support centers in Silicon Valley and Afghanistan, a museum and waterdevelopment project in Kenyaand rights to land for women in Uganda.
As my the time progressed with these women it became very clear to me that these women were on a mission to improve the quality of life, to work towards justice and to preserve the unique cultural gifts of their countries. Each woman who attended held a very special role and is in full service to her country. Her mission is to contribute to the progression and development of her country in some unique way. I was most impressed at how they knew that their mission was much bigger than themselves and how they reached out to gain greater knowledge so that they could contribute at the highest level possible. Throughout the week the women’s concentration and commitment to gaining new information and ideas was profound!
The week was full of learning – for all involved. I know my life has been greatly expanded and will never be the same. When lives from diverse places come together we begin to experience both our commonalities and our uniqueness. For me this is one of the greatest gifts in the world.
At the end of the ten days as we said our good- byes, I could see many new faces ---different faces than the women who arrived just ten short days earlier. I witnessed the faces of stronger, clearer women with new possibilities. As we said goodbye we all knew that the road ahead may not be easy but the hope, new ideas and new possibilities can not be left behind. Much will go back into the world. A new bond has been formed …new connections and support …new possibilities abound.
When I think of how these amazing women reached out to connect to a world larger than their individual worlds to gain support, I hold great respect for their courage, faith and determination to their commitment.
Where can you reach out…strengthen your network and learn what you need to know to be fully awake, alive and contributing in the world in which you live? What are you here to contribute?
Maureen Simon
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