How Women Entrepreneurs in This Rural Peru Community Work Together to Build a Stronger Business To provide support for their entire community, these female founders must collaborate, rather than compete.
By Andrea Huspeni •
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We often hear about the mentality some American entrepreneurs feel they must possess to survive. It can be cutthroat, with many feeling they need to compete with one another in what is often a zero-sum game -- where there can only be one winner.
But that approach isn't always practical for growing industries and communities in the U.S. and beyond. Consider Peru, for example. The country as a whole is considered one of the fastest growing economies in the world, but in rural areas, the same can't be said. Many people don't have the resources, money or time to stay current on the latest technologies, trends and business models. Their focus is more on survival than getting rich. Which is why these local entrepreneurs must work together for the greater good rather than compete with each other.
Related: How to Build a Strong Community?
Earlier this year, we visited the village of Ccaccaccollo -- 15 miles from Cusco and 80 miles from Macchu Picchu -- and met with a women's co-op of 60 female entrepreneurs creating handmade goods for locals and tourists. While each woman creates her own products using traditional weaving methods, they collaborate to provide support for the 440 community members, including paying for roads, livestock and children's education.
Related: How Social Entrepreneurship Can Benefit Businesses and the Communities They Serve
We chatted with the women's co-op leader, Francisca Qquerar Mayta, in this video for Women Entrepreneur to learn more about the community, what being a woman entrepreneur means and how their work is helping the next generation.
