Beneficiary Update

By Reid Wilson - Development Coordinator, May 25, 2007 09:54 AM

Rosario Silva’s Ecoserranita is a small jam-making operation that uses native Peruvian fruits. At the onset of TechnoServe’s assistance, Rosario’s business was not large or profitable, but it did provide 30 cents a day on which she and her son could survive.

Rosario knew that her business could be much bigger, but the risks were too great for her to proceed. She lacked the business skills to develop a growth strategy. And with interest rates at 30%, there was little margin for error for an entrepreneur living on less than a dollar a day with a family to support.

TechnoServe soon recognized Rosario’s entrepreneurial potential and worked with her to develop a business plan, improve operational procedures, secure financing and increase profitability. The business boomed, and within two years, Rosario was earning net profits of $20,000 per year.

Rosario’s business success has had far-reaching effects in Cajamarca. Sixty-eight small-scale farm families are now receiving an income supplying native fruits for her business. “I have a responsibility that extends beyond my own family now,” Rosario says with a smile. “There is a network of farmers who depend on my business.”

What will happen when TechnoServe leaves? Rosario doesn’t seem worried. “I am now exploring export markets and have sent samples overseas. I’m also analyzing new product lines and retail opportunities in Lima. TechnoServe has opened a world of possibility.”

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