Puerto Rico Partner

Home » Puerto Rico

Puerto Rico: Empowering Entrepreneurs in Puerto Rico

OUR PARTNER

In partnership with Proyecto Matria in Puerto Rico, WE funds the business start-up costs for aspiring women entrepreneurs whose financial stability is essential to the country’s on-going hurricane recovery efforts.

THE CHALLENGE
Women living in poverty and facing threats of gender-based violence in Puerto Rico not only face financial and housing insecurity, but their situation is also exacerbated by having to survive in a depressed economy still reeling from the nation’s debt crisis and the impact of Hurricane Maria. Those in vulnerable communities have seen huge cuts in support services from the government and female heads of households who are not working must often survive on just $5 per day per family member. In addition to having low or very low income, these women are challenged by having bad credit scores, lack of access to health services, lack of transportation, little or no formal education, and housing and food insecurities.

THE PROGRAM
Since its origins in 2004, Proyecto Matria has dedicated itself to working toward gender equity, supporting the economic and social rights of women, especially those who are heads of their households and experiencing poverty, those who have experienced gender-based violence, and those in other excluded groups such as the LGBTQ community. Proyecto Matria has a history of pioneering economic empowerment programs adapted to the profile and necessities of women facing these challenges.

WE is proud to be a supporter of Proyecto Matria’s new innovative microfranchise program, Arepa Chic. Arepa Chic responds to the need to create decent jobs and safe business spaces for women experiencing poverty. The program employs women in a central kitchen–in administrative, kitchen, and customer service positions–that will provide catering and supply stuffed arepas for food carts and trucks that will be franchised to and operated by women. The microfranchise program provides a structure for a systematized, simple, and low-investment business that meets market demand and that, with the administrative support provided, becomes a sustainable operation.The program also provides psychosocial support to the women, as well as a training program on franchise and financial responsibilities.

THE GOAL
Arepa Chic aims to create full-time jobs for women who are heads of their households and are living with low or very low income. It will also create new, thriving, microfranchise businesses for women in this population. Along with the psychosocial support offered, this holistic approach provides a social support structure and the knowledge to achieve self-sufficiency for the women and their families. The program also works to increase social awareness about the struggle for equity and civil rights of marginalized sectors.