Alumni of the Fortune-State Global Women’s Mentoring Partnership from across South + Central Asia gathered in Colombo, Sri Lanka during the week of August 25. The International Alumni Component of the program provides an opportunity for alumni to share the best business and leadership practices, brainstorm solutions to common challenges and form a regional network of women leaders. During the convening, participants sat in on mentor-led sessions, visited a successful incubator and coworking space for Sri Lanka’s top entrepreneurs, and were welcomed by U.S. Ambassador Julie Chung and representatives of the U.S. Embassy in Sri Lanka.
The week began with introductory sessions where the 22 participants from four countries shared about their work, experiences from their time in the Fortune-State Program, and what they were looking forward to in the week. The group was joined by mentor, Rasha Qamheyeh, CEO and Founder of Event Horizon. Throughout the week, Rasha held training sessions on Leveraging Corporate Leadership, Comprehensive Approaches to Business Valuation, and Strategic Expansion and Impact.
During the program, participants had the opportunity to hear from distinguished women leaders from Sri Lanka. The speakers included VV Engage alumni and award-winning journalist, Dilrukshi Handunnetti, and mother-daughter social impact entrepreneur duo, Sandra Wanduragala and Selyna Peiris. The speakers spoke about their individual leadership journeys, the impact of networks and mentors surrounding their professional endeavors, and the importance of succession planning for the future of one’s business.
There was also a site visit to Hatch Sri Lanka, a coworking space and incubator for driven entrepreneurs creating change within the country. The Fortune alumni were able to learn more about the entrepreneurial ecosystem within the city of Colombo and got to hear first-hand from female founders who were bringing life-changing products and community-based programs to scale with the support of Hatch’s collaborative and resourceful internal ecosystem.
The week was filled with exciting events, including a wellness session led by Vital Voices COO, Faida Fuller, updated headshots for the cohort, and a special reception at the U.S. Ambassador Julie Chung’s Residence. However, the most important outcome was the bond and community that developed between the 22 women leaders. They now return to their countries with a regional sisterhood that is ready to push forward new ideas, strategies and tools to accelerate change within their businesses and communities.