Today
Currently our project is helping to fund and start over 40 small businesses. We are partnering with Covenant World Relief and The Rotary Club to purchase the needed equipment and materials that each businesses needs to start. We believe in an asset based approach to poverty alleviation so we work with each person to identify skills or talents they have and how they could turn that into a business. This has led to many different types of businesses including restaurants, butcher shops, a catering service, general stores, a tailor, a cosmetic store, a carpentry shop and much more.
The majority of our work is to help get the businesses started. That involves discussing the needs of their potential businesses, obtaining the necessary permits, and purchasing and installing the equipment at the business. Once the business is started the beneficiaries all come to a monthly meeting where practical business skills are taught in order to help them succeed. There are also monthly visits where a member of the team checks in to make sure everything is going well with the business. These meetings and visits are also a great way to practice holistic development by building a relationship and checking in on both physical and spiritual needs of each beneficiary.
We are currently working with local college students who are studying economics in order to further develop our program. They are collecting and analyzing the data that we have on the costs and revenues from each business in order to help the businesses be more successful. Their contribution has helped bring more knowledge to our team and bring success to the people we are trying to help.
The Buen Samaritano project has shifted to address the most pressing needs in our community most effectively and it continues to grow and develop. We have seen lots of success with the businesses that we have started so far and hope to continue to build up those businesses. Our goal is not to only directly benefit the families of the owners of the businesses, but we are hoping to grow the businesses to become employers to have a further impact in their community. As we move forward we do so with an open mind, actively looking for how we can serve our Lord as the hands and feet of Christ.
The majority of our work is to help get the businesses started. That involves discussing the needs of their potential businesses, obtaining the necessary permits, and purchasing and installing the equipment at the business. Once the business is started the beneficiaries all come to a monthly meeting where practical business skills are taught in order to help them succeed. There are also monthly visits where a member of the team checks in to make sure everything is going well with the business. These meetings and visits are also a great way to practice holistic development by building a relationship and checking in on both physical and spiritual needs of each beneficiary.
We are currently working with local college students who are studying economics in order to further develop our program. They are collecting and analyzing the data that we have on the costs and revenues from each business in order to help the businesses be more successful. Their contribution has helped bring more knowledge to our team and bring success to the people we are trying to help.
The Buen Samaritano project has shifted to address the most pressing needs in our community most effectively and it continues to grow and develop. We have seen lots of success with the businesses that we have started so far and hope to continue to build up those businesses. Our goal is not to only directly benefit the families of the owners of the businesses, but we are hoping to grow the businesses to become employers to have a further impact in their community. As we move forward we do so with an open mind, actively looking for how we can serve our Lord as the hands and feet of Christ.