Step 1

What a week, what a week. All sorts of progress has been made. Well, they are small steps, but i think they are good ones. Ill start with the progress, and then with the reality check......i hate reality checks!

Anyway, so what i forgot to say in my last post is that i also completed a course in business plan development taken forward by CORFO. It was simple, but really good. I learned some basics on project design, how to make cashflows and balance sheets. The latter i have already applied to some things and hey i got a 6.5/7 for the course....pretty good hey!

I had two meetings with Lakutaia this week and they agreed to sponsor a student in PW! This is really great news and the position that is related to this is very interesting indeed. As i think i have mentioned Lakutaia is implementing a program aim at fortifying local producers and service providers in a bid to strengthen its supply chain, and create opportunities for local industry. This is a 3 year program funded by.....CORFO.....and they are really enthusiastic about it. Lakutaia has new management by the way, Paulina and her husband have left and the new manager is a young guy from Santiago. Really accessible and enthusiastic. Also, the directors of Lakutaia have changed and it is no longer J. Vasquez. Now it is the owners of DAP. Also a very nice guy.

I had actually applied for two sponsored positions, but as it is one company, they said they would sponsor one volunteer, and then offered discounts or some, (to be determined), amount of free flights to PW. So great!

Also spoke to Jacqueline whom is a young professional that has applied for the ME position in PW, and she decided that she would like to take forward the volunteer position with Lakutaia. So there are a few details to work out, but it seems that things are going ahead.

So, this is the first of 5 we need in terms of sponsored positions. In Natales things should work out. Christian has asked for 4 volunteers. Not all at the same time, but first two and then their follow ups. Marnix was in Natales, and he has some possibilities with Mr Gomez of waste management, Chile Emprende and Alfonso Lopez. Lets see what this week brings.

Apart from that I talked to Pesquera Productos Marinos/Torres del Paine/Whiteland and they said no to sponsoring a student. Apparently the fishery sector is really doing badly this year. This is due to various reasons which include an appreciating Chilean Peso. So basically he would like to...but cant now....also CONCAR has actually closed their plant in PW.

Carine has also been busy. One of the initial applicants for the coordinator position distributed some positions in her network of contacts. This was the Brazilian girl. Sheila. And we received about 30 applications from Brazil in one day! Carine is filtering them now, as the conditions may not be so clear to all of them.

Also in terms of creating the foundation, basically we have our signers and are close to continuing the process.

Now for the reality check! During our Friday afternoon meeting in the Cabo de Hornos we realized we have loads to do still, and very little time. Our first volunteer is arriving the 5th of September.....so you do the math! We can do it...but the next two/three weeks are critical i think....So fingers crossed all goes well!

Besides that we made some project proposals in tourism development for SERNATUR and Cerro Castillo, both on demand....ill keep you informed.

Ah yes, i added some pics......and im on skype...my username is blanco ignacio, (i think)