Micro-credits for Baru Island entrepreneurs

by Fundacion Hernan Echavarria Olozaga
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Micro-credits for Baru Island entrepreneurs
Micro-credits for Baru Island entrepreneurs
Micro-credits for Baru Island entrepreneurs
Micro-credits for Baru Island entrepreneurs
Micro-credits for Baru Island entrepreneurs
Micro-credits for Baru Island entrepreneurs
Micro-credits for Baru Island entrepreneurs
Micro-credits for Baru Island entrepreneurs
Micro-credits for Baru Island entrepreneurs

Project Report | Mar 12, 2018
Caribbean Artisan

By Ana Milena Ordosgoitia / Maritza Diaz | Project Leader

Sergio's handicrafts
Sergio's handicrafts

Sergio was borne in May, in the Rosario Islands, “The best place to grow up because of the calm you can even breath in and because of the sympathy of its people” as he remarks.

When he was a child he practically lived in the sea. He helped his parents with the tours they gave to people who came to the Island attracted by their white sand and crystalline water.

This trained him in a virtue that has helped him through all his life: Charisma.

When Sergio was 6, his parents died, so he went to live with one of his 14 siblings, who sold lobsters to tourists. Sergio also helped his brother in the afternoons after he finished all the homework they gave him in a school that only had elementary. Sergio repeated fifth grade 3 times because they didn’t have enough money to send him to middle school in the nearest town.

He learned mathematics. This helped him in the family business, in which he was in charge of the accounts.

A while later, he met Dunia, his beautiful greed eyed wife, and he moved to Baru (town) were they have lived since then.

Sergio started working in general services in a new hotel near Baru because he needed to watch after his wife and son. With his savings, he bought a boat and asked the hotel General Manager if he could work giving the tourists boat rides. The Manager accepted and a while after was very satisfied with Sergio’s work especially because of the way he treated the tourists.

5 years later, Sergio thought it was time for a change so he asked the hotel if he could sell handicrafts at the entrance, the ones he had always liked because he thinks are the reflex of the colors of his hometown. He sold the boat and bought everything he needed for the business.

This new business have given Sergio for 18 years the income needed to build this house in Baru, to educate his children (2) and he has even learned a little bit of English in order to offer the tourist the necklaces, purses, handbags and earrings he personally make, accompanied with a smile.

Sergio's business
Sergio's business

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Organization Information

Fundacion Hernan Echavarria Olozaga

Location: Bogota / Cartagena, Cundinamarca/Bolívar - Colombia
Website:
Facebook: Facebook Page
Project Leader:
Clara Diago
Cartagena , Bolivar Colombia
$2,573 raised of $12,273 goal
 
80 donations
$9,700 to go
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