I consider NYOTA graduate Jeanette Longhi a friend. Jeanette’s smile lights up a room. Her energy inspires action. It was a delight to catch up with Jeanette when I was in Beni in September.
After church one Sunday, Jeanette invited me to join her at a seminar she had organized for young entrepreneurs. Three days later I sat in a conference room with Jeanette and observed 38 young entrepreneurs practicing how to speak to potential partners. Partnership development was just one of several topics of the seminar.
Jeanette had initiated the event after a conversation with local youth development leaders. That conversation had revealed that young people who were developing businesses needed skill development in various areas including conflict resolution, resource mobilization, and partnership development.
Jeanette acted. She developed a proposal, designed the workshop, and secured funding so thirty-eight young people would be in better positions to succeed in their business enterprises.
During a break in the seminar, Jeanette told me about the bi-monthly meetings she holds for 16 married couples in her neighborhood who are eager to strengthen their marriages. She also told me that she had begun gathering a group of 35 local taxi drivers on a weekly basis. The purpose: to help them learn how to manage their time and money and support each other.
From left to right: Jeanette Longhi, Mary Henton, Marie Mulieni.
Top photo: Jeanette with the young entreprenuer workshop participants.
Each of these initiatives grew out of conversations Jeanette initiated. And then Jeanette’s conversations propelled her to act for the benefit of others.
Jeanette is just ONE of the 50 NYOTA graduates who initiates strategic conversations to improve the lives of others.
Jeanette told me that it was NYOTA that helped her “develop a dare to do attitude instead of being afraid to commit.”
In February, twenty-five more women will begin the NYOTA Women’s Leadership Development Program so they can impact their communities, as Jeanette does.
You can ensure that this next group of NYOTA participants develops their skills and dare to do attitude by making a donation today to the Impact Now year-end campaign, Continuing the Conversations.
Please partner to continue the conversations that lead to action for the benefit of others.