By Nick Tichy

One of the biggest obstacles facing the communities CEN assists is a lack of economic opportunity. Because of this, one of CEN’s main priorities is to help the communities where we work create new income generation projects. This is complicated by the communities’ inexperience managing businesses and the few role models available to them.

One of the few bright spot enterprises in the community of Maguary is the ecological "leather" bag-producing business Couro Ecológico . This is an association of roughly 20 members who work a few hours a week in the business and share proceeds. Using an abundant and sustainable resource, natural rubber, this business has been making bags to sell to retailers in Brazil, the USA and Europe. While the enterprise shows promise, of the group's minimal business management experience results in underperformance. Finding a way to successfully manage, market, and sustain Couro Ecológico is a high priority for the community of Maguary. In support of this, CEN recently organized a group of MBA students from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, to travel to Maguary to evaluate Couro Ecológico and provide consulting to improve the business.

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