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Field Impact ReportFAMA 4: Strengthening Active Women
Buenaventura, Valle del Cauca
Colombia
Please see Projected Impact.
Project UpdateThe following report covers actions performed from February - April 2023:
Timeline activity: Accompaniment process for children (includes: Workshop, logistics and stationary supplies)
65 children were accompanied with the aim of strengthening their capacities and social skills for life, based on the development of topics such as family, business, the environment and savings.
Each of the topics were strengthened as follows:
EmpathySelf-efficacyCollaborationEmotional assertivenessWith the support material, we worked with the booklet created for the children and adolescents of the project, which was given to them at the beginning of the accompaniment process, and they carried out the exercises previously embodied, and in turn used the booklet as reference material. The impact of this accompaniment was evidenced in each of the testimonies of mothers and children regarding the involvement of minors in the business dynamics developed in the family.
Timeline activity: Training and business partner accompaniment for capacity development
The training process developed was carried out with business and social issues, during 42 hours of training and 8 hours of reinforcement for the adoption of practices. The training hours were oriented towards the stabilization of the economic activity and the adoption of administrative practices that allow them better results.
Project Goal
The complementary meetings in the training plan facilitated the appropriation of business tools, allowing the businesswomen to adopt and carry out actions in favor of the sustainability of the productive units, decision-making and self-management related to income, sales and customers.
The use of ICTs and applications such as Whatsapp Business and digital payment methods such as Nequi are favored. It facilitated the acquisition of clients, the mobilization of products and the increase in sales, modulating a digital showcase for seed-level companies. At the beginning of the course, 42% of the businesswomen had digital payment methods, such as bank transfers (savings account); digital deposit accounts such as nequi, daviplata, savings on hand, Platforms such as Mercado Pago/PSE/PayU, Dataphone. With the accompaniment and learning more about digital issues by the end of the course, 84% of the businesswomen had digital means of payment.
The 180 businesswomen were accompanied and individually advised in person during the training process, to reinforce what was learned in class, and in this accompaniment, the business and social advisors learned and identified the state of the companies and the social situation, considering the businesses' history and provided recommendations of business practices to be appropriated to achieve their sustainability and growth.
Additionally, accompaniment was carried with the 180 businesswomen to access the FAMA School to be trained on their: life project, self-esteem, communication, time, health and parenting. 70% of the participants completed the topics, evaluations and exercises were 100% completed, the remaining 30% will continue to be accompanied this year by the business community and thus, achieve the completion of the modules. This training allowed them to develop and strengthen social and individual skills that have an impact on family dynamics and context. Additional information can be found on the following website: emprendiendoconfelicidad.com.
Timeline Activitiy: Community of entrepreneurs
With the community of businessmen, we wanted to create a space for interaction between businessmen who have graduated and are active in the business programs of the Carvajal Foundation, with the businessmen and institutions of the ecosystem to share current business issues that allow the businesswomen to continue advancing their businesses and connect with each other.
This was developed through four lines of work:
For the FAMA project, the strategy has been aimed at businesswomen, who had already gone through the business strengthening program in previous phases, and progress has been made with them as follows:
a) Update Events:
In the updating strategy, different activities and meetings were carried out that allowed the entrepreneurs to reinforce the issues related to their economic activity, such as:
Customer service with El SENA: In this space ,37 businesswomen were trained and certified in techniques related to customer service, offering better services, standardizing processes, and having better personal communication within the framework of potential customer loyalty.Workshop on costs, budgets and money management. In the meeting, they were told the best way to manage their accounts and keep their daily sales record, influencing the appropriation of the business tool. In this exercise, 15 businesswomen were trained and advised.Gathering in the business community: This networking strategy allowed the businesswomen to strengthen themselves in networking, understanding and exchanging information, offers, products and services from their production units, thus, achieving new marketing channels. 12 businesswomen were connected to this space.Entrepreneurial behavior course: This training was carried out with a local partner known as El SENA. 26 businesswomen participated, who strengthened their business knowledge and management of their businesses, including the DOFA matrix and the formulation of strategies related to stabilizing their productive units. With this certification, they already have the requirement demanded by El SENA to apply to the Emprender Fund and request seed capital for their business. The business community advisor is identifying the businesswomen with the greatest potential, so that they apply as soon as a new window is opened.Group activity -Strategize your business: 35 businesswomen participated in the activity aimed at strengthening the practices and management of the productive unit. Likewise, it was pointed out in the assessment and advice from the investment plan to obtain seed capital, aligned to the institutional offers through partners.Group activity - Sales techniques. In this space, the correct management of sales, marketing, and customer service were addressed as resources, as elements to strengthen the productive units; 24 businesswomen participated in the development of the activity.
b) Personalized Consultations:
During the period from January to April, the following personalized consultancies have been carried out:
- Payroll advice and labor contract
- Advice and follow-up (cost and sales)
- Brand registration advice
- Trademark registration advisory
- Advice and accompaniment presentation of business plan
c) Accompaniment in accessing marketing channels
Six businesswomen have participated in fairs in the city of Cali, invited from projects such as Compromiso Valle and Emprendamos PAZ. Through these fairs, the businesswomen have managed to make their products visible and sell them.
d) Accompaniment in accessing financial resources
Seven businesswomen have accessed financial resources for 40 million pesos (approx. USD $9,700), thanks to contributions from the seed capital from the Compromiso Valle project and the Give me five platform.
Delivery of inputs - Seed Capital
The delivery of $315,000 (approx. USD $80) of seed capital to the 180 businesswomen, for the purchase of inputs as a means of financing and leveraging their productive units, allowed the beneficiaries to increase their sales, diversify their products, services and the capitalization of the business. Of the 180 strengthened businesswomen, 178 businesswomen received inputs, the remaining two left the city when the program ended due to security conditions and personal issues, for which reason this benefit was not delivered.
A summary of the common seed capital items delivered were:
Threads, closures, buttons, fabrics, spring.Milk, rice, oil, groceries, coffee, sugar, panelaLotions, creams, refreshers, makeupshellfish, squid, shrimp, fishsportswear, jeans, shirts, bagsRemover, nail polish, files, smoother, nails, file, hair, straightenerFruits, mango, papaya, peach, pear, strawberry, garlic, ginger, potatoReam of paper, notebooks, cardboard, pens, pencil.Hair products, shampoo, combing creams, natural Anti-aging, nourishing, protective creamsDeodorant, stockings, notebooks, pencils, gel, varietiesBlack and white chocolates, molds and packagingJeans, shirts, t-shirts, tights, pants, underwearCookies, coffee, peanuts, juices, food products, energyCleaning supplies, soaps, detergent, bleaches, air fresheners.Testimonials
1. Dayri Yaneth Grueso Garcia
Age: 28 years
Company: LGD Trend, Style and Glamour; is a company focused on the commercialization of beauty and skin care products, such as makeup, creams, handmade soaps and accessories such as hair bands, African fabric turbans and earrings. Additionally, the businesswoman does personalized makeup for all types of events.
"Being a part of the FAMA project has allowed me to improve the administrative management of my business. Learning to keep records allowed me to realize the income I was generating and that my business really had a good projection. On a personal level, it allowed me to admire myself, recognize my abilities and positively value each effort invested. I have to admit that thanks to the FAMA project, I managed to reaffirm my choice in deciding to create my own company."
2. Claudia Inés Aguirre Cifuentes
Age: 33 years
Company: Josué Beauty Salon is a company that offers service in haircuts, straightening and other arrangements involving hair. The Salon also offers arrangement and decoration of nails in different styles and trends. Additionally, it sells catalog products such as Natura, Yanbal, Avon, hair products of the Marcel France line and other varieties of beauty products.
"Before, I did not give much importance to the organization of my income, and with the FAMA project, I learned to understand my contribution margin and my break-even point; they are two concepts that allowed me to better organize the income generated by the company. From that, I began to organize my sales records in Excel and save them in Google Drive to be able to make comparisons, month by month. I have learned to take advantage of opportunities, I started my company to be able to share time with my son, and being part of the FAMA project has allowed me to empower myself as a woman and know that I can project myself much further and believe in my dreams."
3. Hillary Alexandra Caicedo Garces
Age: 29 years
Company: SMD Nails; It is a company dedicated to the arrangement and decoration of nails in traditional, semi-permanent, acrylic, gel and other trends.
"I have participated in many other processes, but the FAMA project has been the most important for my life. Before, I said that the nail repair did not generate any profit, since I was always spending income on the purchase of materials. However, when I started this process, I realized that I had a good contribution margin and that I was not being organized in the administration side of my company. Today, I properly keep the records and I was able to assign myself a salary. On a personal level, it was an enriching experience. Now I do not doubt my abilities and I feel much more motivated to implement strategies that allow my company to continue growing."
4. Danibia Alva Cuellar
Age: 47 years
Company: Variedades Danibia; is a company dedicated to the commercialization of catalog products such as Leonisa, Yanbal, Esika, Avon, Natura, Novaventa, food and varieties of daily consumption.
"As a result of my disability I had to change many dynamics of my life, and my family has been a fundamental support for me to move forward. When I was summoned to be part of the FAMA project, my family was the first to support me. When I returned from training, I shared with them everything new I learned and they were very happy to see me so motivated in this process. The FAMA project, in addition to giving me tools for the organization of my company, allowed me to generate changes in the family relationship, since my daughters, my mother and my husband are much more involved in the business and motivate me to continue growing. I am happy to have been part of this experience and I would like that this project can reach many more women who need it, just as I managed to learn to run my company better."
5. Yulia Zuleima Mondragon Castro
Age: 37 years
Company: Tratamientos Capilares YELA; It is a company that makes handmade products for the care and stimulation of hair growth, based on plants and fruits typical of the region. It also offers the service of brushing, straightening and application of hair treatments.
"When I joined the FAMA project, my knowledge about the administrative management of the business was null, I only understood my business as selling and then restocking; it was just me and I could not make savings from the income generated by the business. The training allowed me to identify my break-even point and also with the records, I was able to have clarity of my contribution margin, which made me realize that I have a business with a lot of projection. On a personal level, the FAMA project guided me towards self-training, I realized that, if I want my company to grow, I must first grow in knowledge and skills that allow me to go further."
6. Lorena Hernandez Bonilla (Advisor)
Business Advisor Project Strengthening Active Women FAMA
The FAMA project had a great impact on the participants,since they began to recognize themselves as entrepreneurs and discovered that their productive units are more than the "negocito" as many call them. They also recognized that the success of any business depends on the dedication, discipline and commitment that, through the application of simple business practices taught from the training, they can improve their business management to diversify and expand what was initially an enterprise. It is gratifying to be part of the learning of women who seek to contribute to the maintenance of their homes and who embark on the adventure of being entrepreneurs without knowing much about the subject, but despite their highs and lows, they did not give up, and continued to contribute to the improvement of their businesses through the different business tools provided through this project. The implementation of these women-oriented projects fosters self-conscious autonomy and visibility of all the roles that a woman plays in her day-to-day life, resulting in an increase in the well-being of the family in general.
7. Alveiro Riascos Perlaza (Advisor)
Business Advisor Project Strengthening Active Women FAMA
The FAMA project was important for having a gender focus and the inclusion of women as an active part of economic and social development within the territory. In addition, its objective was to connect the family to the project regarding income generation and improvement of the quality of life based on self-employment through the sustainability and stabilization of its business units. In this sense, it was possible to observe that during the training process the entrepreneurs were changing as they were adapting to the new administrative practices provided from the methodological line of
Fundation Carvajal, among which we can highlight the registration of inflows and outflows of money in the development of their activity, strengthening of sales techniques, the presentation of the business and personnel, analysis of the competition and the market, price adjustment and cost analysis, control of your family and personal expenses, and identification of variable costs month by month. This allowed women entrepreneurs to finance investment to generate greater leverage, thus, being able to stabilize the production, services or sale of goods, together with the development of marketing strategies through strategic partnerships outside the territory.
8. Juana Miriam Ibarguen Murillo
Community Promoter Project Strengthening Active Women FAMA
Why has the FAMA project been important?
The FAMA project is important because it has had a great impact on women entrepreneurs, allowing them to recognize their entrepreneurial skills and adopt tools, actions and processes aimed at strengthening and stabilizing their production units and increase sales. From the social accompaniment, FAMA has been of great importance because it facilitates the identification and development of personal skills framed in the individual, family and business well-being. The accompaniment to the children and adolescents of the FAMA entrepreneurs, generated a space of integral attention, where family and company converge, where from the training, they achieved life skills development. The entrepreneurs were interested in making their sons and daughters part of the training and accompaniment process, considering themselves as a space in which free time can be occupied in an educational and playful way. The children and adolescent were participative in carrying out each of the activities that led them to get to know each other and build trust.
Continue performing the respective activities:
Accompaniment 2023:
Recall business practices (Jan to June 2023)Customer Service Course (May 2023)Approach to marketing channels (January to June 2023)Update meetings (January to June 2023)Approach to offer financial resources (January to June 2023) Remaining Project Components
About Food For The Poor
Food For The Poor, one of the largest international relief and development organizations in the nation, does much more than feed millions of hungry children and families living in poverty primarily in 17 countries of the Caribbean and Latin America. This interdenominational Christian ministry provides emergency relief assistance, water, medicine, educational materials, homes, support for vulnerable children, care for the aged, skills training and micro-enterprise development assistance. For more information, please visit www.FoodForThePoor.org.
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