Project Launch:

In the community of Salitral, Peru, there are very limited employment opportunities apart from working in the fields, driving a mototaxi, or heading to the city to study or look for work. Opportunities within the district are particularly limited for the younger generation.  Manos Productivas, a project supported with a $470 grant from World Connect’s Kids to Kids Program in 2011, provided educational and hands-on business experience for students without them even having to leave Salitral. The experience provided them a concrete skill (artisan work) which they then learned to further develop in the future by gaining a wealth of information and experience about the creation and execution of a small business. This two month class led into the formation of a Youth Entrepreneurship Club that continues to run the businesses and helps to spread the entrepreneurial spirit throughout the district. Manos Productivas was a first step in creating a culture of entrepreneurship in Salitral.