Business Council for Peace (Bpeace)

Location

Bpeace is a non-profit network of business professionals. They volunteer skills to entrepreneurs in conflict-affected countries to help them create significant employment for all, and expand the economic power of women. Put simply: More jobs mean less violence.

Their goal is to create one million jobs across 1,000 communities. Every one of those jobs, entrepreneurs, and communities becomes a beacon of hope. In each community these business people become role models and strong voices for peace.

These business people, aka Fast Runners, are remarkable entrepreneurs from conflict-affected countries like Afghanistan, El Salvador and Rwanda. They have been in business for at least a year, employ more than 10 people, and demonstrate the intuitive business sense, and the desire, to aggressively grow their businesses. Most importantly, they share a vision that employment, and the economic empowerment of women, is the bridge to better education, less poverty, improved health, and, ultimately, less violence.

The jobs that Fast Runners create have a multiplier effect – those jobs sustain thousands of families, boost local purchasing power, and in turn, strengthen other local businesses. This cycle of employment sets a once troubled community on the path to prosperity and peace.