For the past two years, Centro has been partnering with numerous organizations throughout Colombia, such as Impact Hub Medellín, the Universidad Javeriana de Cali and the Ministry of Development of Envigado, with the goal to reach small business entrepreneurs where they are, and provide them with more guidance to launch or grow their ventures. As a result, hundreds of entrepreneurs from Bogotá, Cali, Tuluá, La Ceja, Medellín, and other cities around the country have taken part in quality business planning and leadership development programs led by local Centro-trained facilitators.

This month, through a partnership with the Municipality of La Ceja, Antioquia, a group of eight women graduated from our entrepreneurship program at Casa de la Mujer. For eight weeks, they worked on their business plans using Centro’s Business Planning App guided by Estefania Cardona y Johanna Trejos, two local facilitators who built on the content we provided with additional marketing, finance and motivational workshops.

By the end of the program, the women were so pleased that they took it upon themselves to start recruiting other women for the next intake of the entrepreneurship program, and plan a surprise celebratory meal for their facilitators.

We share this with joy and a warm heart because this is an example of how a small group, once empowered, can take concrete steps to bring about social and economic changes and build community around them.

Want to Learn More About Centro's Work in LATAM?

We'd love to chat and find more ways to partner with organizations in the region. Please contact Elena Restrepo at elena@centrocommunity.org.