Today on Extraordinary Women Radio, I’m excited to bring you this extraordinary woman – Karen Sherman: Author of Brick by Brick: Building Hope and Opportunity for Women Survivors Everywhere, and President of the Akilah Institute, Rwanda’s only women’s college.
In this episode:
- Discover how Karen’s desire to effect change made her move to Rwanda with her family
- How Women for Women International empower women everywhere
- How Karen deepened her family relationships while managing her career
- Learn how Karen successfully transitions living in two different worlds
- How the Akilah Institute enables women to earn their own income
- The story of Teresa in Karen’s book, “Brick by Brick”
- How Karen’s book is a universal experience shared by most women
- The power of a story and how it can build your business
- Karen’s vision on the future of women worldwide and what she’s looking forward to next
Karen Sherman, author of Brick by Brick: Building Hope and Opportunity for Women Survivors Everywhere, has spent her life advocating for women in war-torn and transitional countries such as Iraq, Afghanistan, Bosnia, Congo, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Sudan, Kosovo, and the former Soviet Union. Throughout her 30-year career in global development, Sherman has met and interviewed thousands of women. Their remarkable stories of strength, courage, resilience, and resourcefulness fuel what she believes to be true: Championing women’s education and economic participation has the power to transform the lives of women and the future of families, communities, societies, and ultimately the world.
Sherman has spent decades translating this belief into action, in field offices and boardrooms and with leaders at all levels, including heads of state, ambassadors, business leaders, academics, and non-governmental organizations. Sherman passionately speaks and writes about advancing women’s educational and economic opportunities. Currently, she serves as President of the Akilah Institute, Rwanda’s only women’s college, leading its strategy, growth, and partnerships. Prior to joining Akilah, Sherman was a senior executive at Women for Women International, an organization that helps women survivors of war to rebuild their lives. She began writing Brick by Brick during the year she spent living in Rwanda with her three sons to oversee the construction of a first-of-its-kind women’s opportunity center.
Sherman is a sought-after speaker on global women’s issues and has been featured on BBC, CNBC Africa, Al Jazeera English, and Voice of America, and in numerous outlets including ABCNews.com, Council on Foreign Relations, Huffington Post, and Africa.com. She served as Executive Producer of The Other Side of War: Women’s Stories of Survival and Hope, published by National Geographic. She serves on the board of directors of Everywoman.org, promoting a global treaty to prevent violence against women.
“There’s two things that make a fundamental difference for women and girls everywhere. One is an education and the second is the ability to earn income.” – Karen Sherman
Discover more about Karen’s works and passion on her websites here: Karen Sherman & Akila Institute. You can also connect with her on LinkedIn and follow her on Twitter and Facebook.
Check out Karen’s book: Brick by Brick: Building Hope and Opportunity for Women Survivors Everywhere
Let’s meet Karen Sherman!
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 35:05 — 32.1MB) | Embed
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | iHeartRadio | Stitcher | Email | TuneIn | RSS