Women in Business Conference Held in Muscat

The U.S. Embassy of Oman sponsored the participation of ten Omani women at the Women in Business Conference held in Muscat, Oman on March 15 and 16, 2008. These ten sponsorships were made possible through funding from the U.S. State Department's Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI), in cooperation with the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) Businesswomen's Network and Vital Voices Global Partnership.

The MENA Businesswomen's Network, a partnership among local businesswomen's organizations across the Middle East and North Africa, Vital Voices Global Partnership and the Middle East Partnership Initiative of the U.S. Department of State, strives to bring businesswomen in the Middle East and North Africa together in order to expand the number of women in business, to increase the value of their businesses, to advance the role of women in society, and to promote a regional culture of women's entrepreneurship.

"It is a pleasure to recognize the excellence and entrepreneurship of Omani women, and especially of these deserving recipients, by offering these scholarships," said U.S. Ambassador Gary A. Grappo. "We are proud to play our part in promoting the role of women in the workplace, in business, and in the world."

The U.S. Embassy sponsor recipients came from various backgrounds and areas of interest. Each woman chosen not only demonstrated a keen interest in business, but also wanted to encourage and empower other women. Maha al Balushi, a woman sponsored by the U.S. Embassy, was very thankful for the lessons she learned. She said, “The conference was amazing. I met very interesting ladies over there. It was an excellent event for networking and meeting role models who really inspire me.”

The 2008 Women in Business Conference, under the patronage of H.H. Sayyida Aliya Bint Thuwaini al Said, featured leading local and international speakers who aimed to inform and inspire the next generation of Omani businesswomen. The Conference, attended by approximately 350 women, was a great success.

Fatima al Wahaibi, one of many who felt encouraged by the speakers at the Conference, said, “Listening to the experience of successful women from different parts of the world makes me more ambitious. I was convinced that nothing is impossible. Moreover, I was proud of myself as an Omani woman. Our culture is a factor that we should be attached to in order to succeed. I learned to take risks, which I was really afraid of, and I learned some steps to network with people. I never get tired of learning.”

Another businesswoman, Badriya al Siyabi, started Sidab Women’s Sewing Group, a business organization of women from a poor community in Muscat who make handicrafts to sell for profit to supplement their meager income. Badriya was singled out during the conference and given the opportunity to briefly explain to all those in attendance what she does. She expressed her gratitude for such a conference in saying, “Thank you very much for giving me the opportunity to attend such a great conference, meet great ladies, exchange ideas and learn from them. As leaders we need to meet successful people and listen to their stories. This is the power which will always keep us positive.”

Nasra al Adawi, another woman sponsored at the Conference, was also inspired and grateful for the networking opportunity and access to wonderful speakers like Liz Jackson, the opening speaker of the Conference. Adawi remarked, “My number one goal was to try to get out of my shell, be bold enough to go to women whom I didn’t know, and ask them who they are. Believe me, this is not about women chatting, but it is about beginning the process of networking. The Conference opened with the powerful speaker, Liz Jackson, who not only conquered the world of business (and God knows how hard that can be), but also excelled when she was going through the challenge of losing her eyesight. It made me realize how often we build mountains in front of ourselves because of fear.” Adawi explained that the Conference provided her with a belief in herself which would allow her to mentor other women to reach their goals.

Working in partnership with other U.S. Government elements, private program facilitators, and Omani public and private partners, the U.S. Embassy in Muscat supports a range of programs reflecting the deep historic, diplomatic, and economic ties between the United States and the Sultanate. After this Conference Adawi claimed, “I am ready to stand up and climb my mountain.” Because of the generosity of these organizations, many women, like Adawi, have been given the opportunity to learn from one another and become inspired to pursue their business goals.

To learn more about U.S.-sponsored educational, cultural, and exchange programming, visit the Embassy's website at http://oman.usembassy.gov

Marah Bukai
Manager, Content & Communications