It’s a serendipitous time of year for us at Prosperity Candle. The first candles for sale will soon be flowing into Women for Women International’s office in Baghdad, our business plan has been submitted to Round 2 of the William James Foundation competition for socially responsible ventures, it feels like spring in New England (if only for the moment) and yesterday was one of our favorites – International Women’s Day!

It is inspiring to reflect on how many organizations are supporting women in a variety of ways. Emails, tweets, facebook postings and blog entries have been flying – all ruminating about this important day and providing information on how to help advance rights for women around the globe.

In a live stream from the White House, First Lady Michelle Obama spoke about the achievements of women around the world, and the President affirmed his dedication to hosting a summit on entrepreneurship for women in the Muslim world. Clearly, the time is ripe for us all to be moving forward. Thank you to all of you who support women!

Last week we completed our quality review of the first Prosperity Candles, and were happy to report that the most important requirements had been met.  There were only a few details to attend to, so we decided to go live with our trainers for a demonstration via Skype video.

Asking a question about candle production via Skype video. Baghdad, February 25, 2010.

With only a few  interruptions, we conducted a very successful training for minor adjustments in the way the entrepreneurs are making their candles.  And we all agreed that regular Skype video calls are a great way to build our community!

The arrival of 59 candle samples in our warehouse last week, handmade by Iraqi women in their own kitchens, was a momentous occasion for all of us at Prosperity Candle.  But it was the results of our detailed quality review that gave us reason to celebrate.

Candle-making is a timeless craft that combines science and art, and it takes practice to produce candles that both burn perfectly and are lovely to look upon.  In our quality review, we not only check the aesthetics of a candle, but we examine its entire composition from top to bottom, including looking at its interior.  Why?  Because we want to be sure that the entrepreneurs have acquired skills to start successful businesses, and that we can bring high quality candles to our customers.

Today we are happy to report that the candles passed all of the most important quality requirements.  With some fine-tuning on details like height and packaging, the women will be ready to make candles for export.  Congratulations to everyone, especially Ibtesam and the 4 trainers!