Solar Fruit Dehydrators for MicroEntrepreneurs

We are three months into our microbusiness startup with Santa Isabel, a group of 22 farmers who live in an isolated village. 

Now that they have practiced various recipes on their solar dehydrator, we are spending rainy season to plan and build the business!

Beginning as an informal business, they have decided to dry mixed fruit for hot punch - a popular drink for wintertime in Guatemala.  They have identified sales location and undergone indepth analysis to identify their ideal client who would be able to afford their products in their rural area and in the city of Quetzaltenango. 

We also had to identify an accessible sub-product for the community to produce during the yearly 5 months of heavy rain.  To start, they decided to sell fruit cocktails and tamales outside of the local school. This ensures they have a year-round income, while they have a special unique product for higher profits during dry season. 

Maria and Efrain are a couple who have been leaders in their community for over 20 years, as they advocated to non profits and government agencies to acecss loans to purchase their lands and install water to their homes. They act as role models to the other members of the group who have less experience with paperwork and organizing groups.  They have already put their sales training into practice! They have sold cool jell-o cups in neighboring poor villages, and were pleased to have earned their first bit of extra money.  Since they do not have full-time acecss to a refrigerator, however, they decided to work within their means and sell fresh tamales and fruit cocktails for the rest of this rainy season as they build their confidence in client communications and sales locations.