C.E.O. Women Founder and C.E.O Receives Jefferson Award for Public Service

Nov. 18, 2009 - PRLog -- OAKLAND, Calif. – Creating Economic Opportunities for Women (C.E.O Women), a non-profit organization developing economic opportunities for immigrant and refugee women, announced today that Farhana Huq, founder and C.E.O. of the organization, was awarded the Jefferson Award in the Bay Area.  The prestigious public service prize is designed to honor those who contribute their time and efforts to better America and serve as a call to action for volunteers in local communities.

“I am honored to receive this prestigious award,” said Farhana Huq.  “For more than nine years, it has been my mission, though C.E.O. Women, to help Bay Area immigrant women fulfill their dreams of becoming successful entrepreneurs and improving their livelihoods. I believe this award acknowledges this determination and commitment; it is truly humbling.”

Since founding C.E.O. Women in 2000, Huq has helped more than 1,600 Bay Area immigrant women graduate from the award-winning business entrepreneurship program and become self-sufficient and fully integrated into American society.  

The organization’s success has been measurable and the reach of the program is expected to increase with the launch of the organization’s innovative, educational soap opera, Grand Café.  The 18-episode DVD series was created in an effort to reach more women than is possible with traditional classroom training, including women who are good candidates for the C.E.O. Women training program, but are unable to attend weekly classes due to distance or scheduling issues.  Grand Café imparts language and entrepreneurial training through the stories of four immigrant and refugee women.

“It is the mission of the Jefferson Awards for Public Service to encourage and honor individuals for their achievements and contributions through public and community service.  By recognizing Farhana Huq’s vision and commitment to C.E.O. Women, we honor the work she has done to make a difference
in the lives of Bay Area immigrant women, “said Rosemary Roach Director of Public Affairs at CBS 5 TV (KPIX), a Bay Area media partner of the Jefferson Awards.

Since inception, C.E.O. Women has helped 64% of women increase their average income household by $28,000, increased their confidence in speaking, writing and reading English by 87% and awarded more than $55,000 in micro-equity grants to 28 C.E.O. Women micro-entrepreneurs.  C.E.O. Women anticipates a 31% increase in the number of women reached within the first year of launching Grand Café, and will train 1,000 women by the second year of the program.

More information on the Jefferson Awards is available at www.jeffersonawards.org.  

About C.E.O Women

C.E.O. Women is a nonprofit organization founded in 2000 to address systemic poverty and lack of income mobility faced by low-income immigrant and refugee women. The mission of C.E.O. Women is to create economic opportunities for low-income immigrant and refugee women through teaching English, communications and entrepreneurship skills, so they can establish successful livelihoods. For more information about C.E.O. Women’s mission and programs, visit them on the World Wide Web at www.ceowomen.org.

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C.E.O. Women creates economic opportunities for low-income immigrant and refugee women through teaching English, communications and entrepreneurship skills, so they can establish successful livelihoods.