Soil Solutions (International) has formed an Authorized Agency in Afghanistan which is represented by the Syed-Group. Soil Solutions will be providing mentoring and assistance to Ms. Hassina Syed, the owner and CEO of the Syed Group of Companies, an Afghan women-owned small business.
Ms. Syed was the first female member of the Afghan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI) and she was selected to serve on President Hamid Karzai’s trade delegation to Europe and Asia. Ms. Syed was selected as Afghan Business Woman of the Year by United States, Department of State and was invited to Washington D.C. by Ambassador Karl Eikenberry where she was able to experience and learn American business practices first hand.
As part of the push by the United States Secretary of State, Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton to award contracts and sub-contracts to Afghan Women-Owned Small Business (“WOSB”), this push is designed to empower women, who have endured decades of unimaginable oppression. No doubt, some of these outstanding efforts have helped plenty of low-income earners, which in turn has resulted in thousands of success stories, thus far.
Ms. Syeds’ visit to America reinforced her determination to continue to strive and support the Afghan First Initiatives that support Afghan Woman-Owned Small Business (WOSB).
Ms. Syed and her company were selected for mentoring by Ms. Schoutens for several reasons. One of which is the fact that Ms Syed’s company has built an extensive network for sourcing and employing Muslim females and the martyred and disabled peoples’ of Afghanistan.
Additionally Ms. Syed and her family have many years of actively supporting Afghan women initiatives by providing training, community service support, and counseling. Finally, it is because Ms. Syed has demonstrated her ability to face and conquer the challenges that women face in owning and successfully operating a business in Afghanistan that Soil Solutions has committed to this task.
Mrs Sharon Schoutens and the team at Soil Solutions have extensive experience in business development and management which started in Africa working with rural communities and assisting governments with the development of sustainable small projects and businesses to empower local groups and communities. The formation of Soil Solutions, and the launch of the company on the African continent was due to the overwhelming need for improved infrastructure, which is required for growth. The solutions that Soil Solutions provides will allow developing nations to overcome several of the challenges faced when implementing traditional methods. There is a real need for improved roads in Afghanistan, where Ms. Syed is representing Soil Solutions and endeavoring to bring sustainable and cost effective solutions for road construction and improvement. Ms. Syed will be supported by the entire professional and experienced team of Soil Solutions as well as have access to the experience of other Soil Solutions Agents and distributors world-wide.
In addition to growing Soil Solutions, which now includes Agencies and offices in over ten countries Sharon, is “giving back to her community and country” by sharing her talents with Ms. Hassina Syed as her mentor and coach.
She is focusing on helping her gain expertise in Department of Defense Contracting in a fast-paced environment, including market and opportunity analysis, writing winning proposals, providing cost benefit and advantage analysis, and streamlined effective project management, negotiations with other businesses, and efficient money and asset management. “In addition to mentoring Ms Syed, Mrs. Schoutens seeks to support the Government of Afghanistan as it identifies and eliminates opaque processes and procedures that limit reaching a workable balance between security, peace, and economic stability and growth. Providing real solutions for sustainable and cost effective road construction and improvements will facilitate economic growth and development in Afghanistan.
As Mrs. Schoutens and the professional team at Soil Solutions have the experience of operating in challenging environments they understand the dynamics of operating in an austere environment she actively and proudly supports Ms. Syeds’ endeavors in representing Soil Solutions, as well as the tree planting initiative and supporting the ‘Wounded Warrior’ projects in Kabul and the United States for Returning Veterans.
