Micro-credits for Baru Island entrepreneurs

The first thing Karen has seen every morning for 24 years is the sea, as her house is on the shore.

"For me it has been something spectacular because not everyone has the fortune of living in front of the sea." When she was a child, the first thing she did when she got home from school was, in her words, “jump into the salt water”.

Her childhood and adolescence passed between friends and sea baths. When she was in the last grade of school, she got pregnant. When Karen graduated, her daughter was already borne and became her engine in life. “I realized that if you look for a job, the first thing they ask you for is your resume, and what would you write on it, if you had just graduated from high school? So, I decided to study and I enrolled in the SENA[1], were the education is free. I graduated from high school in December and in May I was already studying Accommodation Service. I learned a lot and I felt that the teachers knew how to teach me. On one occasion they exempted me from an exam for being a good student and for fixing the room really fast”.

When she finished her theory classes, Karen did an internship at a renowned hotel located in Baru, and she spent her first salary on her daughter: "I bought diapers for a month", she said. At the end of her internship, she obtained her certification as an Accommodation Service Technician.

“I sent my resume to a hotel in Baru and days after the interview, they called me to work as a maid. Thanks to this, I have bought a refrigerator, a washing machine and a stove for my house”. These investments show us how her quality of life has improved after studying and started working.

Karen advises young people in Baru to take advantage of the opportunities life gives them by saying: ”Being young is not easy. I would tell all young people in the island to concentrate on studying and working hard, to achieve all their goals and to progress, which would be good for them and their families”.

[1] Training and Entrepreneurship School.

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Baru is an island located in the south part of Cartagena de Indias, a city with a tourist vocation, its main attraction being the old city and its beaches.

The island of Baru is one of the most important tourist sites in the city, for its white sand beaches and crystal clear waters, as well as for its corals and mangroves.

Therefore, most of its inhabitants are engaged in occupations directly or indirectly related to tourism, many of which decide to start a small business.

And it is precisely the entrepreneurs who, through their products and services, offer a genuine cultural experience to visitors, while they dynamize the island's economy through businesses such as the sale of handicrafts, restaurants, bars, fish markets, shops, bakeries, water transportation and clothing stores, among others.

So, if one day you have the opportunity to travel to Cartagena and decide to take a tour or a day trip to the island of Baru, you will surely find Uriel's handicrafts, the delicious cakes and biscuits from Cruz Maria, a fresh juice from Yamileidis or you will discover yourself on a tour on Efren's “Que Que” boat, all of which are part of the group of entrepreneurs who have strengthened their businesses as they have actively participated in the project “Microcredits for Baru island entrepreneurs” thanks to the contributions received through GlobalGiving.

With the credit obtained in the project, Efren bought life jackets for adults and children for his boat, which generated greater security among his clients. Cruz Maria, diversified her products, increasing her sales. On the other side, Uriel, with the profit from the sale of handicrafts, opened a bar, generating additional income for his support and his family.

In the Hernan Echavarria Foundation we are very proud of the achievements of each and all of the entrepreneurs who have participated in the project and immensely grateful to all the donors, who’s contributions have allowed us to support and accompany them.

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