Young Entrepreneurs

Fundacion Paraguaya is a partner of the international education organization Junior Achievement, which works to teach entrepreneurial and business skills to youth around the world. They work throughout Paraguay and have three groups at the Agricultural School. The school focuses on creating rural entrepreneurs, not just teaching students how to be productive farmers. This sets them apart from other agriculture schools and even farmer apprenticeship programs in the United States, where the emphasis is often on production and not necessarily the  financial management of a farm. Students must create their own business with the support of Fundacion and Junior Achievement staff and volunteers.

Traditional Paraguayan dance to kick-off the event.

La Vida Paraguaya Comienza

As many of you know I am spending this summer after graduating from University of the Pacific working at Fundación Paraguaya. This organization was founded by a Paraguayan alumnus from Pacific and works with three initiatives - microfinance, entrepreneurial education, and sustainable agricultural education. I will be working at the San Francisco Sustainable Agricultural School about an hour (by car) or two hours (by bus) from the capital of Asunción. I spent the weekend meeting other interns working in the capital from Singapore, Australia, United States, South Korea, Paraguay, Spain, South Africa, and France; on Monday I will go to the school and begin settling in there.

I am excited to be jumping back into speaking Spanish, visiting a new country (for me), and learning more about the financially sustainable school model that Fundación Paraguaya uses and their sustainable agriculture programs.

Love to you all.
Maya