Heartland International

Infobox Non-profit
Non-profit_name = Heartland International
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founded_date = 1989
founder = Karen Egerer
location = Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
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area_served = International
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homepage = [http://www.heartlandinternational.org/ www.heartlandinternational.org]
dissolved =
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Heartland International is a women- managed, nonprofit organization based in Chicago that designs, implements, and manages political, economic, and social development projects focusing on democracy and economic development in countries such as Tanzania, Belarus, and East Timor. [ [http://www.heartlandinternational.org/en/index.htm Heartland International Official Home Page] ] [ [http://www.globalchicago.org/thismonth/Heartland%20International%20Oct02.asp Chicago Council on Global Affairs] ] [ [http://www.mniguide.com/info.asp?CID=449662 MNI Guide] ]

History

Heartland International was founded by Karen Egerer in 1989.

Aims and activities

Heartland International works to bring to bear the traditionally underutilized resources of the Midwestern United States on international programs, act as a catalyst in strengthening emerging democratic societies, provide training and technical assistance to encourage microenterprise development, support the role of women in economic, political and social affairs in emerging democracies, provide a forum for the exchange of ideas between the U.S. and foreign policymakers, promote mutual understanding between various segments of U.S. society and their international counterparts.

Here are some of the programs that Heartland International has implemented, arranged by the goal they serve:

Using the Midwest’s resources for international programs by
* working in cooperation with governmental institutions and representatives from both state and local levels to create programs for legislators, governing officials and NGO leaders from emerging democracies.
* Providing business placements for program participants in over 200 Chicago area businesses, from storefront to Fortune 500.
* Creating Civic Education programs and providing learning opportunities for educators and administrators in Chicago area educational institutions, ranging from the University of Illinois at Chicago to the Chicago Public School System.

Strengthening democracy through
* Training programs for NGOs for designing effective advocacy campaigns. Past participants include NGOs from Belarus, Tunisia and Morocco.
* Education on new government transparency mechanisms for government officials from Thailand, Uganda, Tanzania, and Kenya with the goal of transferring the knowledge to their home countries.
* Programs for Mexican, Belarusian, Russian and Ukranian journalists to gain first hand knowledge of free exchange of information.

Microenterprise Development through work with
* Local business leaders in East Timor, "Halibur Business Manatuto", a Small Business association, to promote small business development and leadership.
* The Business for Russia Program to promote entrepreneurship throughout Russia.

Supporting the role of women in economic, political, and social affairs in emerging democracies with two key associations
* TAWE (Tanzanian Association of Women Entrepreneurs) receives technical assistance training from Heartland International to further their mission of supporting women in political, social and economic affairs.
* Women's Leadership Belarus advocates for a stronger role for women in society.

Promoting dialogue between US and international policy makers as well as between US and international society through
* Discussion series and dialogues on international current affairs, Heartland International serves as a platform for the free exchange of ideas.
* A home-stay volunteer program, local individuals and families open their homes to program participants. [ [http://www.heartlandinternational.org/en/about.htm About Heartland International] ]

People

The Board of Directors [ [http://www.heartlandinternational.org/en/board.htm Board of Directors] ]

Staff [ [http://www.heartlandinternational.org/en/staff.htm Staff] ]

*President: Karen A. Egerer
*Senior Project Director: Bev Hmurovic
*Senior Fellow: Richard M. Johnson
*Program Coordinator: Conner Purcell
*Project Director: Julia Sportolari
*Web Master: Paul A. Minnice

Further information

* Nessel, Paula. Planting International Seeds. Technical Assistance Bulletin No. 12. Chicago: American Bar Association, 1994. Available online [http://eric.ed.gov/ERICWebPortal/custom/portlets/recordDetails/detailmini.jsp?_nfpb=true&_&ERICExtSearch_SearchValue_0=ED377122&ERICExtSearch_SearchType_0=no&accno=ED377122 here]

* Interview with Karen Egerer. "Global Activism: Training Grassroots Activists around the World". Chicago Public Radio, April 5, 2007. [http://www.chicagopublicradio.org/content.aspx?audioID=9830 Interview Link]

* Video: "TAWE: Tanzanian Association of Women Entrepreneurs." 2008. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zsXkWTOSd8o

* Retail Executives From Bosnia-Herzegovina to Visit Downtown Chicago 7-Eleven(R) Store, Apr 29, 2005 from [http://www.mywire.com/pubs/PRNewswire/2005/04/29/833049?extID=10051 MyWire]

* Environmentalist tells of Chernobyl's horror - Forest Leaves, May 20, 1998 from [http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=PGHB&p_multi=RFLB&p_theme=pghb&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=10215AC991386E50&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM Pioneer Local]

* Russians impressed by housing program, February 21, 1998 from [http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=ADHB&p_theme=adhb&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0ED0289633B9716E&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM Daily Herald]

* Russian educators get lesson in civics, April 27, 1997 from [http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=ADHB&p_theme=adhb&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0ED02815697B1841&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM Daily Herald]

* When pigs fly..., or a report from the field, July 13. 1997 from [http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P1-3988429.html HighBeam]

* CROATIAN MAYORS TRAINING IN LINCOLN, December 9, 1998 from [http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=BL&p_theme=bl&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EB1469B0C637692&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM Pantagraph]

References

External links

* [http://www.HeartlandInternational.org Heartland International official website]
* Tanzania Association of Women Entrepreneurs [http://tawetz.org/ official website]
* Academy for Educational Development (AED) [http://www.aed.org/ official website]
* World Learning - Community Connections [http://www.worldlearning.org/340.htm official website]
* USAID [http://www.usaid.gov/ official website]
* US Department of State [http://www.state.gov/ official website]