Day 513: Micro-business Summer School

Here are the micro-business students receiving their certificates and heading off into the world of sales and profits!
Here we are playing 'The Human Knot' - Our business students learning some techniques on creativity!

Yosy, one of our students, presents her group's propaganda for selling juice in Musho at the 'Bank' in order to take out a loan of about $10 to purchase the fruits necessary.

PCVL Ryan and our good friend, LWell played the bankers for the kids to present their loan applications.

Libby and I developed a small course to offer to high school (secondary) students teaching the basics of running a small business. We had 12 student sign up (most kids leave Musho and visit family in other cities during the long break from school). Each kid paid 10 soles, which they receive again at the end of class if they attend regularly. With all the money we formed a bank fund that the kids could ¨borrow¨ from for their business start-up loan.

We had two competing juice businesses that sold enough to pay back their loans and earn a profit! As if this wasn´t exciting enough for us, one group decided to reinvest their profits to buy the ingredients for tamales. This group of 12 to 13 year olds made a bunch more money. It turns out we did not need tons of business experience to teach youth to manage a small one-day business. Hopefully, we will be able to keep something going with the kids. There is talk of forming an Environmental Business Club where the kids would make handicrafts out of recycled products and sell them with our guidance. We´ll keep ya posted...

As a celebration, we took a wonderful hike together to a nearby mountain lake and played Carnaval (throwing water at each other). Libby even taught the kids how to swim!

Day 510: A jaunt off to Armapampa

And so, we headed off into the hills with 7 of our micro-business students. We rose early, hiked about 3 hours to a lake called Armapampa, swam, ate, and hiked back again. The kids were great, full of energy, and excited to show us a new place. We can't believe that we didn't know about this hike before now, but are excited to share it with future visitors!

One of the boys brought along his horse...

Let the Carnaval celebrations begin! Immediately upon arrival at the lake, the kids kicked their shoes, rolled up their pants and forded the river out to a green pampa in the middle of the lake. And from then on, it was get soaked, or soak the others... Carnaval styes!