El Alto, Bolivia

The Talented Family Traders of El Alto

Length of project: 12 months

Partner: Project Suma

When you're struggling to simply make ends meet and feed your children everyday, you can easily be pulled into dark places. There have been times when we have wept, desperate that our children don't face the same things we have faced.

We are three close-knit families who are taking the initiative and are creating fresh opportunities. The past is over, we are looking to the future! We're using our talents to create individual family businesses - will you be the spark for our ventures?

Project details

This project is fully funded

But other projects need your support

View spark projects

Updates

Keep track of this project as it gets up and running

January 17th, 2022

Project funded!

We are delighted that the Talented Family Traders of El Alto spark project is now fully funded. We are currently sharing this good news with Victor, Marie Elena, Jhovana and their families.

We thank everyone who donated so generously giving these inspiring families the opportunity to set up and expand their businesses.

You have been the spark to help them realise their potential.

We will be in touch very soon with a thank you postcard followed by regular updates on how they are progressing as they get their poverty-fighting ventures underway.

Thank you for being the spark to Victor, Marie Elena and Jhovana and their families.

By Jenny Rooke

Their story

Meet Victor

Growing up in poverty, everyday felt like a battle to survive. I’m only 14-years-old but already I have experienced bullying and trauma. Nowhere felt safe. Until I discovered my love of drawing. When times were tough at school, I would dream of escaping from my reality. I longed to live a dignified life, where no-one in my family would be vulnerable to exploitation.

Project Possible has given me that chance. They’ve provided me with the tools to improve at school, and I’ve even begun to make friends. But even more, they believe in my drawing skills. I already help in my family business, selling our homemade backpacks in my spare time. Customers always ask for unique designs and that is what I dream of creating. My drawings can pave the way for us to scale up our business and put the past behind us.

Victor, Maria Elena and Jhovana ready to start their family businesses

“And just like creating a design on a new backpack, step by step I want to build my future.” Victor's dream

Their project

Three businesses for the whole community

We’re working with our Bolivian partner, Word Made Flesh, to help Victor and two other families get their micro business off the ground - Maria Elena's Peruvian food business, Jhovana's mobile phone accessories business and Victor's personalised backpacks business:

Providing each entrepreneur and family with further training in their area of expertise, plus providing the tools, equipment and stock to get them started
Mentoring each business owner in finance, handling budgets and the importance of cash flow
Offering workshops on digital marketing and how to develop networks
Continuing to mentor and spiritually support throughout the first year

Maria-Elena wants to open her Peruvian restaurant

Other Spark projects

Bite-size, time-bound poverty-fighting ventures

Uganda

The Fair-Trading Farmers of Soroti

100% funded

100

Local women, who’ve known poverty and hunger, are setting up enterprises to trade good quality local produce at competitive prices.

Get updates

Democratic Republic of Congo

The Stylish Shopkeepers of Kinshasa