As part of our project 'Inclusion of the Micro and Small Enterprise into the Sustainable Tourism Supply Chain in Miches', we have developed ¡Miches, sí! (or “Miches, Yes!”): a business program focused on strengthening local business and supporting new ventures that cater to tourism and agricultural sustainability.
To carry out ¡Miches, sí!, in June 2015 we partnered with ADOPEM NGO, a non-profit organization specialized in strengthening entrepreneurship and social and human development in the Dominican Republic. By April 2016, we had developed a business plan development program that was offered it to 32 local entrepreneurs. The 24 participants who completed the program received a certificate of participation, and 20 of these entrepreneurs went on to present their business plans to an independent jury of business professionals and competed for seed funding to jumpstart their businesses.
A total of four participants would be recognized for their business plans in two distinct categories: 1. New business venture and 2. Strengthening an existing business. We’re pleased to announce that Pedro Santana, Bacilio Mota, Moisés Joseph and Glendy Esther Senda took the seed funding back to their businesses, respectively they are now producing and selling: organic coconut fertilizer; rabbits for consumption; horseback riding tours and a restaurant.
So what happens to the other 16 entrepreneurs who developed a business plan? Well, Fundacion Tropicalia partnered with ADOPEM Bank to roll-out a low interest credit fund designed especially for them. This second phase of our program is called “Miches Emprende” (or “Miches Starts”).
“Inclusion of the Micro and Small Enterprise into the Sustainable Tourism Supply Chain in Miches,” is an initiative supported by the Inter-American Development Bank’s Multilateral Investment Fund (IDB/MIF) to improve market access for local farmers and entrepreneurs by incorporating them into the tourism value chain generated by Tropicalia, its partners and other anchor companies in the region, which all require high-quality goods and services. To reach this goal Fundación Tropicalia cultivates and strengthens the supply chain via capacity building and access to financing and technical assistance.
To stay informed about our programs, follow us on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. You can also download our 2015 Sustainability Report here: www.tropicalia.com/Report2015
