Teaching Afghan women about running a business. A good idea.

Big City Smarts for Afghani Women: "Afghani business owner Rangina, 29, who is among a group of women entrepreneurs from the country on a tour of U.S. fashion companies, muses, 'It's tough to do business when there's the possibility of dying every time you step out.' (BusinessWeek Online was asked, because of security considerations in Afghanistan, to use only the women's first names.)

The news casts a pall on the group of 12 Afghani women, who are spending the day visiting a variety of businesses, including trendy discounter Target (TGT), yarn manufacturer Lion Brand, chic Soho boutique Calypso, and high-end retailer Jeffrey.

TARGET AUDIENCE. The tour is part of a three-week intensive workshop organized by the Business Council for Peace (Bpeace), a New York-based nonprofit that won a seed grant from the U.S. State Dept. to bring talented Afghani women entrepreneurs in the apparel, accessories, and home-décor businesses to New York's fashion center to address their most critical needs -- training and access to the global marketplace."