The power of 10 years of partnership

MOMBACHITO, Nicaragua --- In the hills of Mombachito, a partnership brought six village farmers together to create a sustainable way of living that uproots poverty from their lives.   Ten years later, these Nicaraguan farmers are business people with faith that their shared vision can be achieved!

“They were brave enough to dream, and bold enough to believe they could reach their dreams,” said Daniel Espinoza, Partners Worldwide's Partnership Manager in Nicaragua.  “It has been amazing to see how God put the puzzle together and blessed the Mombachito farmers with mentoring relationships and legal land ownership for the first time.  This was only possible by God´s grace and the power of partnerships.”
In 2002, these farmers took the first steps on the journey to become land owners.  At that time, most of them rented land and had very few opportunities to earn a consistent income—working as day laborers for big landowners in the area.  The work available for Ricardo and Jenny Rodriguez, one of these farming families, depended on the cycle of seasonal crops.  More often than not, they struggled to provide for their own young children. 
 
“We were a poor and disillusioned family without hope, without a future of opportunities,” said Ricardo.  “But one day a blessing came from God.”



Transformation began with a simple idea to connect the farming families with land ownership and market opportunities.  Through a partnership between a local organization, the international organization World Renew, and Partners Worldwide, a Land Bank program was created to hold the title deed to properties, facilitate collections over an estimated 7-10 years required to pay of the land, and provide technical training for the farmers.  The local organization also provided key technical support to the farmers throughout the early years.
 
An essential component was the mentoring relationships Partners Worldwide provided through a Farmer-to-Farmer partnership.  In 2002, U.S. farmers from Iowa began building lasting relationships with the Nicaraguan farmers, mentoring them on business development and the challenges common to farmers everywhere.  The transformation within the partnership has been a two-way street, as the Nicaraguan farmers have turned their new land into agricultural enterprises rather than just a source of food for subsistence.  To this day, the U.S. farmers have walked alongside the Nicaraguan farmers, encouraging and mentoring them through their shared passion—a love for the land. 
 
Since the partnership began, the farmers have produced high-value crops.  And, after years of adversity and success, tears and laughter, the six families have paid off their land one year sooner than they originally planned.  They now own their own land free and clear!

  
According to Espinoza, “Before the Farmer-to-Farmer partnership, the Nicaraguan farmers weren’t confident.”  While most of them have a basic education, their participation in the Land Bank community, the formal agricultural training and the way that their partners walk alongside has produced a 180-degree turn, he says.  “They are more secure within their decisions, negotiations, and how they do business.  They’d never imagined before that they could do business.  They now see themselves as businesspeople.” 
 
In addition to growing high-value crops on their own land, Ricardo and the other farmers took full advantage of the mentoring, training, sustainable farming tools, and access to capital available through the partnership.  Beyond their land, they now own essential coffee processing facilities and machinery.   As a result, in 2008, the farmers started roasting and selling organic coffee beans supplied from their own farms and others in the area.
 
The biggest transformation is that the farmers have persevered, said Espinoza.  “Perseverance is one of the keys to succeed in partnership,” he said.   With the encouragement and mentoring support provided, farmers in Mombachito have realized that they most often have the answers for the problems they face―they only lacked the encouragement and support that the Partners Worldwide mentors have provided. As seen throughout the years, the farmers’ shared vision has not been in vain and their perseverance has paid off.

Salt producer and cooperative employ 130

LEÓN, Nicaragua --- Gustavo Castillo is an ordinary man with an extraordinary sense of entrepreneurship. With a vision to restore dignity and provide employment to people of rural western Nicaragua, Gustavo is dedicated to doing business as a ministry.

This new vision began in 2012, when a friend invited Gustavo to attend a meeting hosted by Business for the Kingdom, one of our partnerships in Nicaragua.
The Business for the Kingdom partnership seeks to promote real and tangible impact in local communities in order that local businesses are strengthened, more profitable, and create more jobs.  However, it all begins with a change in the entrepreneurs themselves.
“The whole journey gave me a brand new business worldview,” says Gustavo, one of two dozen business owners within the partnership.  He felt affirmed to continue growing his business as a ministry, and increasing employment in the rural region where he works.
After that first experience, Gustavo participated in the rigorous Partners Worldwide business training program with peers in León, as well as workshops and peer-mentoring discussions on business leadership. He is thankful to be a part of a Christian business network like Business for the Kingdom. 
Now he's working to apply this new knowledge to his own business.  With over 30 years in the salt industry, Gustavo employs more than 30 people in his business, Las Mulas.
“For many of his employees, this is the only opportunity they have to bring food to their tables and feed their families,” says Daniel Espinoza, the Partners Worldwide partnership manager in Nicaragua.  “It brings dignity to them as the heads of families, and equips them to feed their families and send their kids to school, something they wouldn’t be able to access without that job.” 
As a small business owner, about a decade ago, Gustavo realized it was challenging to compete and produce such a high-quality product on a larger scale.  In response, he and other salt producers decided to work together to provide edible fine salt that meets national and international standards. Their initiative gave birth to a cooperative which has grown to more than 60 small business owners today, together employing more than 130 people.  In partnership with a larger processing company, the cooperative supplies Nicaragua’s only fine salt distributed throughout the country. They also share the vision to grow beyond Nicaragua and sell fine salt throughout Central America.
In addition, Business for the Kingdom hopes to expand beyond León and Chinandega, to connect business owners and entrepreneurs throughout surrounding regions with Biblically-based business training and mentoring relationships with North Americans and experienced business professionals within Nicaragua.
“Now they have a group they feel they belong to,” says Espinoza about members of Business for the Kingdom. “Within the Christian business partnership, they’re being empowered by a shared vision to impact the community and can also provide support and encouragement to each other."
 
Business for the Kingdom is a partnership between the Nehemiah Center and Partners Worldwide and is active in León and Chinandega. This partnership connects Nicaraguan businesses with a group of North American businesspeople who mentor and walk alongside them.

Business plan sessions: one on one mentoring

                      

  

During the last month, MCM has been posting a new form of training / mentoring where a one-on-one attention is provided to each of the entrepreneurs within the loan program. Within its business loansportfolio of loans,  the top 30 entrepreneurs were selected according to qualities such as business growth, teachable spirit and a desire to continue dreaming for their business. This group of 30 has been divided into groups of 3-4 members for each of them to write their business plan. With the help of young students of Business Administration in Nueva Suyapa and the guidance of the loan officer  Yonatan Venegas, they have been able to facilitate these sessions every Thursday evening. While it is true that a business plan is much more extensive, the idea is to develop the habit of writing their strategies and start dreaming about growth in the short and long term.

Each of these sessions has been very dynamic and motivating. Mutual experience of entrepreneurs has brought more feedback and enriched the sessions. Moreover, many of them have been able to make connections, both for business and also met other entrepreneurs in their community.

The sessions one by one have allowed us to get to know the entrepreneurs closer and to support them in a personalized way. MCM will continue completing these sessions throughout the month of July in order to start a business training of 12 weeks. Each partner who has completed their business plan, will be invited to this training, and receive a diploma of completion. Then, another 30 entrepreneurs will be cosen and graduates of the first class will be the mentors to this new Group and help them develop business plans.

We have no doubt that the training and learning path is still long, but every day we move forward to facilitate this knowledge to those who have the desire to flourish and grow.

Left to right: Yonatan Venegas (loan officer), Rosel Bolton (cloth store),
Iris Cardona (beauty salon), Natividad Mejia (bakery).

Sesiones de Plan de Negocios: mentoria uno a uno

                            

Durante el ultimo mes, MCM ha sido el anfitrión de una nueva modalidad de capacitaciones/mentorias donde se da una atención uno a uno a cada uno de los socios emprendedores del programa de prestamos. Dentro de su cartera de prestamos de microempresa, se han seleccionado a los 30 mejores emprendedores de acuerdo a cualidades como crecimiento de su negocio, espíritu enseñable y el deseo de continuar soñando para su negocio. Este grupo de 30 ha sido dividido en grupos de 3-4 socios para que cada uno de ellos pueda escribir su plan de negocios. Con la ayuda de jóvenes estudiantes de Administración de empresas en Nueva Suyapa y la guía del asesor de créditos Yonatan Venegas, se han podido facilitar estas sesiones cada tarde del Jueves. Si bien es cierto que un plan de negocios es mucho mas extenso, la idea es poder desarrollar el habito de escribir sus estrategias y empezar a soñar con el crecimiento a corto y largo plazo.

Cada una de estas sesiones ha sido muy dinámica y motivadora. La experiencia mutua de los emprendedores ha traído mayor retroalimentación y ha enriquecido las sesiones. Además, muchos de ellos han podido hacer conexiones, tanto para su negocio como también han conocido a otros emprendedores de su comunidad.

Las sesiones uno a uno nos han permitido conocer de cerca a cada uno de estos emprendedores y poder apoyarles de una manera personalizada. MCM continuara durante todo el mes de Julio completando estas sesiones para poder iniciar un diplomado de negocios de 12 semanas. Cada socio que haya completado su plan de negocios, será invitado a este diplomado, y recibirá su diploma de graduación. Luego se  escogerán otros 30 emprendedores y los graduandos de la primera promoción serán los mentores para ayudar a desarrollar los planes de negocios.

No dudamos que el camino de capacitación y aprendizaje es aun largo, pero día a día avanzamos en poder facilitar este conocimiento a aquellos que tienen el deseo de florecer y crecer.

Izq. a der. : Yonatan Venegas (asesor de creditos), Rosel Bolton (Almacen de ropa), Iris Cardona (sala de belleza), Natividad Mejia (pasteleria)

Grace and Hope through Business

In late February, I had the privilege of visiting one of our Honduran local business affiliates in the capital city of Tegucigalpa along with their longtime partner from the US, the Honduras Pella Affiliate.  This was a special opportunity to see the fruits of years of sacrificial leadership from a diverse group of local and international people.

This partnership is by no means a shooting star that quickly fizzles. Rather, this partnership is held up on all sides by people that have firmly committed themselves to walk with God’s children in what I consider to be very challenging circumstances. Together, they’ve been on top of some incredible mountain peaks and at the depth of some deep valleys, yet their commitment to service remains.

In February, we saw firsthand numerous examples of the impact of that commitment and passion for transformation in the small businesses they serve. Enjoy the story below an example of two such businesses.

ERICA AND MADIAN are the owners of two rapidly growing small businesses – a transportation company (think multiple varieties of taxis) and a printing business that provides small scale portable and temporary signage as well as lettering and decals for the transportation industry (buses, taxis, etc.). After a few minutes at their office, it’s clear they are special people with a deep-seated entrepreneurial drive – their businesses are growing (6 employees) and as is the case with most business owners, they admit there aren’t enough hours in the day. This husband and wife team faces all the challenges common to entrepreneurs – meeting payroll, sales, orderly administration, stiff competition, rapidly changing marketplace – and the list goes on. Yet they clearly love what they’re doing.

Beyond their business acumen, what really caught my attention was a story Madian casually told about a few of his employees.

Their businesses are located in Nueva Suyapa, a neighborhood on a hill on the outskirts of Tegucigalpa, Honduras, packed with people and the sounds of life.  Unfortunately, Nueva Suyapa has a few rough edges – one of which is a large gang presence.

In spite of the dense population, it’s a relatively small community, meaning that there aren’t many secrets – most people have a very good idea of who’s associated with the local gangs.  This can be a major obstacle for young people looking for a job – and a brighter future.  Outsiders are skeptical because of where these young people live and locals can’t afford (physically or economically) to employ someone with ties to a local gang.  It’s just too risky.  Thankfully, Madian & Erica are not typical entrepreneurs.

Sometime ago, Madian hired a few young men, knowing that they had a bit of ‘history’ and quite possibly a ‘present’ – no one else gave them the time of day.  As usually happens when someone is shown grace, they turned into excellent employees so much so that others tried to hire them away. However, loyalty thrives in these circumstances and they continue working with Madian and Erica.  Not only that, but the young men often join them at Church. Amazing! God is good and His grace abounds!

While Madian and Erica have taken advantage of business training and loans via Partners Worldwide’s local partner, MCM (Ministerios Cristianos de Mayordomia), their commitment to serve through their business is deeply personal.  This is exactly the type of business person we seek to serve at Partners Worldwide - small business owners that see their calling to business as a calling to ministry.  With that commitment and access to the right mix of business support services, Madian and Erica’s growing business will continue to be one of the best, most relevant and lasting sources of transformation and blessing in their community that anyone could hope for.

I hope you will join me in praying for the right mix of wisdom, people, and resources to continue walking with Madian and Erica, and many more business owners like them.

Madian and Erica are members of MCM, one of PW’s Honduran local business affiliates.  MCM provides small loans, training, and other key business development services to its clients in partnership with PW.  In total, MCM currently supports 141 small and medium businesses and close to 1,000 micro-enterprises.

La Gracia y La Esperanza por medio de los Negocios

Érica y Madian son los dueños de dos negocios que están creciendo de manera rápida – un negocio de transporte (una variedad de taxis) y un negocio de imprenta que provee rotulación portátil y temporal a pequeña escala, además de letreros y diseños creativos para el sector de transporte (buses, taxis, etc.).  Después de un par de minutos en su oficina, pude notar que ellos son personas especiales con un fuerte impulso natural de emprendedurismo – sus negocios están creciendo (6 empleados actualmente) y como es el caso con la mayoría de los dueños de negocio, admiten que no hay horas suficiente en el día.  Esta pareja de emprendedores enfrenta  todos los retos comunes a los empresarios – la planilla, la administración, una competencia dura, un mercado siempre cambiante – y la lista sigue.  Sin embargo, es evidente que les encanta lo que están haciendo.

Más allá de su capacidad empresarial, lo que realmente me llamó la atención fue una historia que nos comentó Madian de manera casual acerca de algunos de sus empleados.

Sus negocios están ubicados en Nueva Suyapa, un barrio en una colina a la orilla de Tegucigalpa lleno de gente y los sonidos de la vida.  Desafortunadamente, Nueva Suyapa también cuenta con algunos elementos ásperos – uno de los cuales es una fuerte presencia pandillera.

Aunque hay una alta densidad de población, es una comunidad relativamente ‘pequeña’ ya que no existen muchos secretos.  Como resultado la mayoría de la gente tiene una buena idea de quien tiene enlaces con las pandillas locales.  Esto puede ser un gran obstáculo para los jóvenes que buscan empleo – y un mejor futuro.  Los que no viven en la comunidad dudan de estos jóvenes debido al barrio donde viven y los miembros de la comunidad no pueden permitirse el lujo (ni físicamente ni económicamente) de dar empleo a alguien con enlaces pandilleros.  El riesgo es simplemente demasiado alto.  Gracias a Dios, Madian y Érica no son emprendedores típicos.

Hace tiempo, Madian contrató un par de jóvenes estando consciente que tenían algo de ‘color’ en su pasado y tal vez en su presente – nadie más les daba ninguna oportunidad.

Como suele suceder cuando alguien recibe la gracia, se convirtieron en empleados excelentes a tal nivel que otras empresas trataron de contratarlos.  Sin embargo, la lealtad se nutre bajo estas circunstancias y hoy día siguen trabajando con Madian y Érica.  No solo eso, pero estos jóvenes ahora asisten a la iglesia con ellos muy a menudo.  ¡Increíble!  ¡Dios es bueno y Su gracia abunda!

Aunque Madian y Érica han aprovechado de varias capacitaciones empresariales y financiamiento por medio de MCM (Ministerios Cristianos de Mayordomía) - el afiliado local de Partners Worldwide, su compromiso a servir por medio de su negocio es profundamente personal.  Este es exactamente el tipo de empresario que en Partners Worldwide deseamos servir – dueños de pequeños negocios que ven su llamado a los negocios como un llamado al ministerio.  La combinación de ese compromiso con el acceso a la mezcla apropiada de servicios de apoyo empresarial ayudará a que los negocios crecientes de Madian y Érica sigan siendo de los mejores, más relevantes, y duraderos fuentes de bendición en su comunidad.

Espero que puedas unirte conmigo en oración para tener la combinacion indicada de sabiduría, personas, y recursos para seguir caminando con Madian y Érica, y muchos más empresarios como ellos.

Madian y Érica son miembros de MCM, uno de los Afiliados Empresariales Hondureños de PW.  MCM provee préstamos pequeños, capacitaciones, y otros servicios claves de desarrollo empresarial para sus clientes en alianza con PW.  En total, MCM apoya actualmente a 141 pequeños y medianos negocios  y casi 1,000 micro-negocios.

Marina Maldonado: creativity is born in the midst of crisis

In some cases crisis can lead to a blessing to people and countries because crisis brings progress. Creativity grows out of agony, as the day grows out from the dark night. It is in crisis where inventive, discoveries and great strategies are born.

This is the case of Marina Isabel Maldonado in the city of Santa Maria del Real, that regardless of conflicts in the community, delinquency, murders, and familiar problems, she has been able to continue running her business. However, she recently had to temporally closed her retail business where she sells various beauty and clothing products and accessories. Marina, though, continued to attend the different training sessions and she attended the retreat facilitated by Taylor University.

During this event, she was encouraged to create a new idea for marketing her business. She is now selling her products by wholesale to other smaller businesses that are not willing to purchase large amounts of merchandise due to the threat of violence.

This strategy, which she is already implementing, is increasing her profits and generating business and employment in the community. Many sellers say they have a more reliable supplier in Marina.

We are confident that Marina will have success with creativity, enthusiasm, and the application of her knowledge, but most of all with God’s help.

“I give the Lord thanks for granting me the opportunity of finding Diaconia Nacional. Through their economic, spiritual, moral, technical and business support, solidarity, and brotherly love that I receive from them I feel confident and committed to give my best in my business and community. Thanks to Diaconia I have been a useful person regardless of the lost of my husband, my mother, and the fact that my children live elsewhere due to the insecurity.

It is not easy, but today more than ever, I feel a desire to work more for my community and encourage them to pray so that God gives this community peace again." 
Marina Maldonado, business owner and DN loan recipient

Marina Isabel Maldonado is member of Diaconia Nacional, one of the Honduras local Business afíliate from Partners Worldwide. Diaconia Nacional offers loan, business training, and continual professional support services to its members with the support of the Partners Worldwide global network.

Marina Maldonado: en medio de la crisis, nace la creatividad

En algunos casos, la crisis puede ser la mejor bendición que puede suceder a personas y países, porque la crisis trae progreso.

La creatividad nace de la angustia, como el día nace de la noche oscura. Es en la crisis que nace la inventiva, los descubrimientos y las grandes estrategias. Este es el caso de Marina Isabel Maldonado en Santa María De Real, que pese a las adversidades de conflictos en la comunidad, delincuencia, asesinatos, y problemas familiares, ha sabido sobrellevar todo esto.

Debido a muchos factores, Marina llegó hasta el punto de cerrar temporalmente su negocio de variedades. Sin embargo, durante todo ese tiempo, Marina siempre asistía a las capacitaciones empresariales.    Una de ellas, impartida  por estudiantes de la Universidad de Taylor, le animó a crear una nueva modalidad de mercadeo en su negocio - la distribución de mercadería  por mayor y al detalle a otros negocios. Ella ya está implementando esta nueva estrategia y  le ha permitido incrementar sus ganancias y generar más empleo en su comunidad.

Estamos seguros que con la creatividad, el entusiasmo, la implementación de nuevos conocimientos, y sobre todo con la  ayuda de Dios, todo será un éxito.

 “Doy Gracias a Dios, por permitirme la oportunidad de conocer y trabajar con Diaconía Nacional, a través del apoyo económico, espiritual, moral,  asesoramiento en mi negocio, solidaridad, y amor al prójimo, que recibo de ellos, me siento segura y comprometida a dar lo mejor de mí, en mi negocio y mi comunidad, Gracias a esto me he mantenido como una persona útil pese a la perdida de mi esposo, mi madre, tener que salir mis hijos a otro lugar por la inseguridad, y sentirse sola. No es fácil pero hoy siento que debo trabajar más por mi comunidad y motivar a más gente a orar a Dios, para que devuelva la paz a mi comunidad”. 
Marina Isabel Maldonado (Socia de Diaconía Nacional Olancho)

Marina Isabel Maldonado es miembro de Diaconía Nacional, uno de los afiliados Hondureños de Partners Worldwide.  Diaconía Nacional ofrece servicios de microcrédito, capacitación empresarial, y apoyo profesional continuo a sus miembros con el respaldo y apoyo de la red global de Partners Worldwide.