Yesterday, I was honored, on behalf of Microsoft and Microsoft Learning to host a young entrepreneur from Afghanistan to share best practices for women in technology. Her name is Farangis and she is here thanks to an organization called BPeace a non-profit network of business professionals who volunteer skills to entrepreneurs in conflict-affected countries and help them create significant employment in their homelands and expand the economic power of women. Farangis studied civil engineering and recently founded Raihan in Mazar, Afghanistan. (http://www.raihan.af/) to provide web hosting and design services, database development, and cabling for the Afghan government and businesses. She is interested in learning about new systems and products to offer to her clients back at home in Afghanistan. While Farangis was in Seattle, she had a rigorous agenda talking to various Microsoft employees and other business owners. Farangis had very valuable visits with Microsoft Learning partners (TLG, WrightRobbins and Quickstart). We covered topics ranging from marketing ideas for her company to best practices on customer service.
Also part of her visit at Microsoft, she took her first Microsoft Certification exam, 70-642, that will begin her path to becoming as Microsoft Technical Specialist to help validate her skills on the features and functionality of Microsoft technologies she uses in her business. She told me that Afghanistan is on dial up and therefore could not use Windows Server 08 but 2000 or 2003. Having only a short time with the study material and never using the product, Farangis did not pass the exam but she is determined and will pass at some point soon in Kabul. I look forward to seeing her progress and participating in this exchange program again. What a great experience!
Check out the great work of BPeace http://www.bpeace.org/ and a recent Washington Post article.
Thanks for the great post, Shawna! Lots of good being done by and through MSL!
Excellent work Shawna, MSL and Learning Partners, technology skills enablement and cultural understanding can only help both of our countries. The future for Afghanistan will be built on the efforts of business and technology leaders like Farangis. I wish you all the best. And Shawna thank you for all you do for your Learning Partners : )
You might want to change the title. An Afghani is a unit of currency. An Afghan is a person from Afghanistan.
Well done Farangis - I hope you enjoyed your visits and have been inspired to return to Afghanistan with your heart and mind racing faster!
Don't feel too bad about the 70-642 exam - it is pretty hard, (as are most MCP exams) and it was a little unfair for you to take it without any real hands on experience!
I am sure there are many MCPs across the world who would like to hear from you, post here on BTL, how things are changing (in IT etc) back in your home country.
All the best.
Andrew
Congrats ! More understanding show rewards