If you’ve been following along, you’ve likely heard all about our new business training and empowerment program launch in El Salvador.
In 2021, Alternativ Global Entrepreneurs brought our proven Business Essentials program to country number 18! We’re proud to present our new partners in community empowerment, The Color Movement, an initiative of Alight, The Guardian Angel Movement, and Lero Studio.
*ON DAY 1 we received over $3,500 in funding and have since grown to $5,000 from individual supporters, as well as a match from the U.S. Department of State, bringing our total to $10,000!
Will you donate to help us reach our goal of $20,000 and bring education, opportunity, jobs, and enhanced community support structures to El Salvador? Click below or read on to learn more.
The El Salvador Team’s Story: Here, in these “safe spaces,” young parents are empowered. We promote new community led businesses such as gardening, fruit processing and a local restaurant that employ people in the community. However, last year, abruptly, the community center was forced to close its doors to the public. Young parents receiving education and encouragement (often for the first time) were forced to suddenly stop their advancement. Kids who had found a safe and encouraging place were back home, or worse, out in the streets.
“We created a space with tools. So that [kids and their families] learn and create their own opportunities to grow… to find a job… and to connect with one another. As designers we can create opportunity for them. Our process of design allows them to visualize a future for themselves that they didn’t dream was possible.”
Even before COVID people in our communities just wanted a chance. A way to prosper amidst gang violence and high unemployment. They simply wanted skills that allowed them to get jobs and to be able to invest in their neighborhoods. As the lockdown persisted, unemployment continued to rise. As we seek to find a new normal, education and entrepreneurship are the keys to providing the jobs our community so desperately needs.
Who We Want to Empower: Our Goals in El Salvador
We’re proud to celebrate the graduation of our first new training cohorts! Our first group of new Alternativ Entrepreneurs included single mothers, struggling to provide for their families, as well as aspiring young entrepreneurs championing new business initiatives pre COVID lockdowns. They are ready to take the next steps in expanding their existing businesses and launching new ones!
And now, our work continues! In 2022, alongside our new partners, Alternativ plans to support new graduates and provide microgrants to jumpstart their businesses and bring our program to new communities in the country.
How you can help
Thanks to some incredible and generous donors, we’ve already completed Phases 1, 2 and 3 of our launch!
Phase 1:
Training Supplies and Materials for our First Two Cohorts ………………………………………………………………………..…COMPLETED
Digital Train The Trainers and program development …………..……………………………………………..……….……………….COMPLETED
Phase 2:
Translating and developing digital staff training programs in Spanish………………………………………………………....COMPLETED
Updating and refining existing community training curriculum in Spanish…………………………………………………COMPLETED
A LIVE two-day virtual staff training.……………………………………………………………………………………………………………….COMPLETED
Local leadership learning how to implement Alternativ’s Program via online Train the Trainers. Learn how you can bring business training where you work! Click here.
Phase 3:
40+ hour in-country training programs for the first two cohorts…..……………………………………………………..…..…COMPLETED
Micro-financing to graduates ready to start their businesses and put in action what they learned…………...COMPLETED
Travel to El Salvador to meet with existing and new community leaders and plan future programming….COMPLETED
A sneak peak into business training!
Phase 4:
$2,500 - Provide staff training and program coordination to new partners in a new area of the country
$2,500 - Prepare all materials, facilities, and logistics for another in-country business training program
$5,000 - Run a week long LIVE Train the Trainers and Community Empowerment Program, inviting new organizations to continue the development of entrepreneurial ecosystems across the country and the region
Now’s your chance to help provide new jobs and start new businesses in a new area of the world.
When we ask for your support, we don’t ask you to donate.
We ask for you to invest in new communities, jobs, and opportunity.
Our Biggest Fans and Project Supporters
Alight, working on how best to help the people they serve and equally dedicated to the growth of business opportunities and empowerment in the region, is Alternativ’s in-country ally. They’ll fund staff, transportation, and all of the materials we need to run our pilot community trainings! Learn about their work.
One Small World Group, born from some of The A Team’s international initiatives, is dedicated to language instruction and professional development all over the world. They are a corporate sponsor and administrative supporter of the collaboration and are excited to be involved in the long term. Interested in digital Spanish classes? ONESWG can help you with that!
Want to bring business training and empowerment to your community? Contact us at info@alternativproject.org.