Have you ever seen project runway. Its quite good. Obviously just another reality show, but enough to give you an hours worth of frivolous entertainment. I quite like it. Actually i think i need it. I have a lot of things going on now. It always seems that way. I only just realized that i haven't written anything for about a month. I have to do better than that!
Ok, so Capital Semilla is over, but getting out of that i was offered the follow up work with all the micro entrepreneurs. There is 31 winners, and for at least 3 months i will spend some time with them implementing their idea. That includes the investment plan, any support they need with making the investments and helping them out with their admin. It will be quite some work but i get to see the winners become small businesses. So great. I signed the contract the other day and i should start on this project in about two weeks.
At the same time i have been meeting all sorts of artisans in Punta Arenas for the other project we are doing. I have met some pretty talented people that use all sorts of primary materials to make beautiful objects. This includes objects in wood, wool, silver and clay. They have all sorts of designs and now the idea is to get them together in a room and discuss the possibilities of them selling their products together. I think i have said it before, but we are looking for artisans that go further than just making a product, the sell a concept. My idea is to make a sort of art gallery with these products but obviously make it in such a way that people realize that all the objects are for sale. I have been looking at locations in the city centre and its pretty expensive.
Also, and i really don't know how I'm going to do this, i was contracted by a consulting company that is taking forward the design of 250km of new trekking trails in the region. This is actually for a foundation called Sendero de Chile. What they want is for me to take forward the participative component of the design of these treks. So basically i am interviewing various regional actors, and i have to do some workshops. I hope a can do it all.....
Enviu also has a new name.....indeed....we decided upon it the other day so the process of formalization should continue soon. Oh yeah, and we also have a treasurer! Anibal Vickacka...some may know him....Sheila has already left. Before she left she managed to make a new logo too. Its really nice i think.
I have worked on the impulsis application a little bit, but things have been progressing bit more because there are some new ideas on how to make the centre more self sustaining. Although i haven't heard much from NL lately. Jaqueline is doing well in Williams!
We are also looking at some other new funding possibilities. Ok, well, I'm off!
Thursday, November 1, 2007
Sunday, October 7, 2007
Capital Semilla is Over!
I'm going to start making a back of notes that i can publish. These last two weeks have been very hectic. I cant remember the last time it was like that to be honest. After i finished the interview with the entrepreneurs i started making the reports and evaluation matrix. Remember that i had two competitions that i was evaluating.
Marnix managed to write up the report for one of them and make the evaluation matrix. However, loads of changes had to be made, and that kept me busy for days on end. Making small changes to the matrix, makes a lot of difference to the whole report and the remaining sections of the matrix as well.
For the other competition i did it all from scratch. I also did both the presentations. The presentations where quite fun. In both cases an evaluating commission would form and they would have the final say on how the subsidies would be distributed. They would ask about the business plans, etc. It was good.
Parallel to this Sheila and i kept working on the basics for the new organization. This included aspects like reformulating the vision and mission, as well as the objectives to be coherent and more focused on what we really want to do. She has been a great help in this and luckily she decided to stay 15 more days. I think once this is finished we can update the business plan and i have to say it looks really good.
She is also helping us out with the development of three products based on these reformulated aspects of the business plan for fundraising purposes. This would be more in the field of CSR and companies. We have also been thinking up some new names!
Jaqueline also arrived during this time. She was in Punta Arenas for 4 days and then went off to Williams. She was very motivated and happy and if all goes well i think her presence there will be very good. I presented her to the board of lakutaia, its administrative manager and a consultant that is working with them. All of them where super positive.
Also before she arrived i wrote a mass mail to Williams and got a good response back. So lets see!
I have also started the next project which we are also doing with SERCOTEC. This one is focused on the creation of a group of artisans. Basically, we have to establish the demand for artisan products by the tourists. This is done by means of a questionnaire. Based on these results we have to match this demand with products and artisans. It is important that the products produced by them are locally made and considered to be of high "quality". Once these have been matched we have to work with them to fortify them, and facilitate the creation of a joint space of product commercialization. So we have to facilitate the creation of a fair.
It is fun and i have only just started this project. There is a lot to do as well!
Besides that all is well, i am hearing a rumour that Lorenza is on her way back to Williams/ushuaia but i cant seem to confirm this...anyone know? I have talked to seppe and he is in Peru working for an NGO. So good luck to him! Marieke also started working at Enviu in NL.
I also have a bunch of applicants which now i have to dedicate some time to...........FYI the application for Impulsis has been on hold for the last month, so no progress there, (unfortunately).
Marnix managed to write up the report for one of them and make the evaluation matrix. However, loads of changes had to be made, and that kept me busy for days on end. Making small changes to the matrix, makes a lot of difference to the whole report and the remaining sections of the matrix as well.
For the other competition i did it all from scratch. I also did both the presentations. The presentations where quite fun. In both cases an evaluating commission would form and they would have the final say on how the subsidies would be distributed. They would ask about the business plans, etc. It was good.
Parallel to this Sheila and i kept working on the basics for the new organization. This included aspects like reformulating the vision and mission, as well as the objectives to be coherent and more focused on what we really want to do. She has been a great help in this and luckily she decided to stay 15 more days. I think once this is finished we can update the business plan and i have to say it looks really good.
She is also helping us out with the development of three products based on these reformulated aspects of the business plan for fundraising purposes. This would be more in the field of CSR and companies. We have also been thinking up some new names!
Jaqueline also arrived during this time. She was in Punta Arenas for 4 days and then went off to Williams. She was very motivated and happy and if all goes well i think her presence there will be very good. I presented her to the board of lakutaia, its administrative manager and a consultant that is working with them. All of them where super positive.
Also before she arrived i wrote a mass mail to Williams and got a good response back. So lets see!
I have also started the next project which we are also doing with SERCOTEC. This one is focused on the creation of a group of artisans. Basically, we have to establish the demand for artisan products by the tourists. This is done by means of a questionnaire. Based on these results we have to match this demand with products and artisans. It is important that the products produced by them are locally made and considered to be of high "quality". Once these have been matched we have to work with them to fortify them, and facilitate the creation of a joint space of product commercialization. So we have to facilitate the creation of a fair.
It is fun and i have only just started this project. There is a lot to do as well!
Besides that all is well, i am hearing a rumour that Lorenza is on her way back to Williams/ushuaia but i cant seem to confirm this...anyone know? I have talked to seppe and he is in Peru working for an NGO. So good luck to him! Marieke also started working at Enviu in NL.
I also have a bunch of applicants which now i have to dedicate some time to...........FYI the application for Impulsis has been on hold for the last month, so no progress there, (unfortunately).
Saturday, September 15, 2007
Business Plan round up
A full body massage, quite a few free books and 4 dozen free eggs later, the interviews for the business plan evaluation process is over! The last two weeks have been crazy. From nine in the morning until ten thirty at night, every day of the week, i have been in other peoples houses talking about their ideas and the costs involved. Oh yeah, and i met some Patagonian ostriches, (Ñandu), on a small ranch. they are very curious animals.....
Just yesterday i finished the report and i can tell you that i am still looking at my watch worried about getting to the next interview. But its over, and now i have to do the presentations and the next project to start.
I almost thought i wouldn't be able to finish it all, but luckily i found a willing soul to go to Porvenir and do the interviews there.
Carine has left now, and i imagine she is at the airport in Buenos Aires waiting for her flight to Curacao, via 5 medium sized south american cities, and one central american capital....What a way to finish your time down here. I can tell you! But its getting warmer and the birds are back from the north. Everyone is gearing up for tourism season here.
Well, sheila es still here! She will be here for another two weeks, unless i can find a way of convincing her to stay. We still have a few things to do and at the moment she is working on fundraising. Not with foundations, but with companies.
The Impulsis application is still pending, and even though i have not been in touch with Enviu in the Netherlands lately, i seem to remember the last news being positive.
I also met up with maria in natales a few times. She is busy working with pilar and organizing a glass recycling campaign which should kick off on the 20th of September, right after the fiestas patrias! Remember, 18th of September is the big Chilean national holiday. There should be a lot of glass to pick up.
Ill probably be off to Rio Gallegos beach for a day in Argentina. Ill tell you all about it!
Just yesterday i finished the report and i can tell you that i am still looking at my watch worried about getting to the next interview. But its over, and now i have to do the presentations and the next project to start.
I almost thought i wouldn't be able to finish it all, but luckily i found a willing soul to go to Porvenir and do the interviews there.
Carine has left now, and i imagine she is at the airport in Buenos Aires waiting for her flight to Curacao, via 5 medium sized south american cities, and one central american capital....What a way to finish your time down here. I can tell you! But its getting warmer and the birds are back from the north. Everyone is gearing up for tourism season here.
Well, sheila es still here! She will be here for another two weeks, unless i can find a way of convincing her to stay. We still have a few things to do and at the moment she is working on fundraising. Not with foundations, but with companies.
The Impulsis application is still pending, and even though i have not been in touch with Enviu in the Netherlands lately, i seem to remember the last news being positive.
I also met up with maria in natales a few times. She is busy working with pilar and organizing a glass recycling campaign which should kick off on the 20th of September, right after the fiestas patrias! Remember, 18th of September is the big Chilean national holiday. There should be a lot of glass to pick up.
Ill probably be off to Rio Gallegos beach for a day in Argentina. Ill tell you all about it!
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