OKC Business Owners Work With Mentees From Rwanda, Afghanistan

Several women from Rwanda and Afghanistan are learning from Oklahoma City business owners. Thanks to the Institute for Economic Empowerment of Women, the group will take home a few tips after a week of mentoring in the metro.

The group of 10 women arrived Sunday following a six-day business boot camp in Dallas. Now, they'll stay and work with mentors, taking back with them new ideas for their own businesses.

Homa Usmany, 26, has her own tailoring business with four employees in her hometown of Kandahar, Afghanistan. For the next week she'll be working closely with R Meyers owner Cindi Shelby learning the tricks of the trade in the retail fashion industry.

“Cindi's business is a huge thing for me. I mean since morning, I have been here and I was like wow this is my place this is my world,” Usmany said.

Usmany's plan is to expand her small tailoring business into a women retail store, much like R Meyers, a store that provides in-house tailoring for customers.

“It doesn't matter where you are, every woman wants to feel beautiful and by feeling well dressed it gives you confidence,” said Cindi Shelby, R Meyers owner.

Shelby began working for what was formally known as Ruth Meyers just a few years after it opened in 1975. In 2009, she took over as the store's new owner.

“[Ruth] was my mentor and so now I am paying it forward doing what I can with the mentorship,” Shelby said.

On Monday, Shelby taught Usmany the power of social media and how utilizing the free advertising can impact her business.

“These small things that I never know about it, these will really help me to promote my business and to get the attention of my customers,” Usmany said.

Their time together this week is also about empowerment. Enabling Usmany and the other women with the strength to preserve through any challenge owning your own business brings. These women will also share their struggles of operating their own companies in places where women are treated are poorly this week with their mentors.

Tuesday night you'll be able to see and buy clothing from some of these women's businesses at a fashion show.

News 9's Dean Blevins will emcee the event. Click here to learn more about the 5th Annual Jewel Fashion Show.