When Salu Assunção decided to raise chickens as his personal project for the cCLEAR program, he didn't anticipate the animals that would eventually break in, killing his chickens and halting his progress. Similarly, Magarete Lima didn't foresee her competition when she opened her own bakery. Now there are two other bakers serving a community of only 100 people. Obstacles such as these are inevitable in the business world. That's why CEN is helping the participants from the cCLEAR Pilot Project, as well as other entrepreneurs to establish an Entrepreneur Group that will offer advice and encouragement to aspiring entrepreneurs in the community.

Operating under the cCLEAR program offered by CEN, these residents, among others along the Brazilian Amazon, have determined personal projects that have and will help them grow into self-sufficient communities. The role of CEN in this has, and always will be, that of mentor-therefore, it's up to the residents to continue their personal projects even after CEN leaves the community. Being new to most of the skills and mindsets CEN impresses, residents often face unforeseen challenges that they must tackle on their own. For example, two residents, Regina Souza and Maria Eugete, encountered health problems that distracted them from their projects. Both women used the money they had kept in reserve to buy raw materials to care for their sick children. Similarly, Luciene Sousa used her reserve money to buy food when the crops failed.

To combat situations like these that distract from the individuals' project objectives, CEN is assisting the
former participants from the cCLEAR pilot to establish an entrepreneur group that gathers twice a month to discuss obstacles residents often face and to brainstorm ways of overcoming them.

The purpose of the group is to

• Become a forum for the cCLEAR pilot participants, and other local entrepreneurs to give moral support, motivation, and share advice. The group members will be encouraged to work together and play off of each other's abilities and skills. For example, Luciene, who has strong organizational skills, can help Rennerclay Caetano to improve his ability to monitor expenses, production and sales of his furniture.
• Serve as a mechanism through which participants will receive limited mentoring, and serve as a transition from the close support they received through the pilot. This group would not only serve to put into practice the problem-solving skills established through cCLEAR, but will also keep residents motivated to complete their projects, as opposed to losing steam once they're left on their own.
• Serve as a mechanism for CEN to facilitate a limited number of product orders CEN will make in an effort to help participants build up working capital so they can resume their projects. 

As with the cCLEAR pilot, participants are responsible for their own projects and should not expect any handouts.

Djalma Lima, an early participant with CEN's program who has displayed leadership skills, has agreed to lead the group initially and to converse regularly with CEN to discuss progress and seek our advice when necessary. Members understand that CEN has committed to supporting the project only through the end of February, so that the group becomes self-sufficient and not depend solely upon our support. In the long-run, this group will help ensure that the progress made thus far with cCLEAR can be sustained.