By Jenny Byrne | Fundraising & Communications Officer
Our team was able to visit Pinagua this month and check in with the ladies who participate in our program. Some of the women are showing a natural talent for business, while others are finding it more challenging. Read on to find out more!
Business is Booming
Business is booming for some of our business owners. Erlinda’s guinea pigs are growing and reproducing well, and she is managing to sell large quantities, as she made contact with a distributor in the area of jungle, around 10 hours overland from Cusco. She is thinking of reinvesting some of her earnings to expand her business to produce chickens as well. Juana continues to do well too, although she sells her guinea pigs to people in the local area, for s/20-25 each, depending on their size.
Key Challenges
However, some of the women are finding it more challenging. The first Francisca to join us, now has a thriving population of around 100 guinea pigs, but she doesn’t yet have an established market, so her sales are sporadic. The other Francisca hasn’t finished installing the doors or windows yet, as she lives alone with her young daughter and says doesn’t have anyone to help her.
Diversification
Nely did manage to finish building her guinea pig house, but instead of raising guinea pigs, she decided to raise chickens. She chose this path because she felt that she could be more successful tapping into a different market and has around 300 chickens now.
Helping the Women Move Forward
The women identified the need for further training, particularly in the specifics of caring for guinea pigs, how to feed them and cure illnesses, for maximum production. When we spoke to the ladies, most were unable to tell us how many guinea pigs they were selling per month, so it’s clear that they also need training in budgeting, administration and accounting too!
Now more of the general population is vaccinated and most services are back to normal, we plan to spend more time in Pinagua over the next quarter, to help the women with the administration side of their businesses. We also want to follow up with the idea of establishing greenhouses in the village, but we need funds for this!
Thank you for your continued support! Please help us spread the word by sharing our project, to help our business owners expand their businesses and have a greater impact!
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