Corali: CIPE’s Women’s Business Resource Center in Guatemala
In late 2021, CIPE and its partner the Red Nacional de Grupos Gestores (RNGG) launched a pilot Women’s Business Resource Center (“WBRC” or “Corali”) in Quetzaltenango, Guatemala, with funding provided by the United States Government. The center addresses economic gender disparities and supports women’s inclusion in their local economies. Corali is a centralized, safe, physical space where women from all backgrounds can access vital resources and gain a sense of confidence and self-reliance that will help them fulfill their economic aspirations.
The center launched with three flagship programs: Emprende Mujer, Mujer Empresaria, and Mujer Extraordinaria. The courses are designed to complement each other to support women entrepreneurs at each stage of their business, from nascent ideas to profitable enterprises. Given the success and high demand for the programs, CIPE worked to expand the center’s services to include mentorship programs, computer literacy courses, entrepreneurship fairs, individual technical advisory, psychological services, daycare provision, and more.
During the first 12 months in operation, 360+ women entrepreneurs enrolled in entrepreneurship-support services, 280+ women joined “Know Your Rights” trainings to learn about their legal rights, the Corali advisors provided 2,000+ hours of individual business advisory, 60+ children used the day care services, 20+ new businesses launched, and 30+ new jobs were created.
Individual stories about the participants and courses provide another perspective into the impact Corali is already having in Quetzaltenango. Continue reading below to learn more about Corali’s participants, services, and methodologies.
Follow @CIPE_LAC on Twitter and Corali on Facebook and Instagram for regular updates.
Contacts
- Morgan King, Program Officer