As mentioned earlier Co-Founder, Nancy Alvarado, is currently in Costa Rica visiting with on the ground partners and potential new oven recipients. On Friday, March 9th Nancy and Cristina Perez traveled by boat to the small indigenous community of the BriBri Indian Tribe. There they met with a woman’s group and a Peace Corps volunteer who lives in the community.

The group consists of 10 women. They have been working together for three years on small projects including workshops, training and raising funds to purchase land to build a women’s gathering place.  They also participated in a 12-week women’s entrepreneurs course run by the local Peace Corps volunteer. At least half of the women are the sole supporters of their families. Most of them work hard labor jobs cutting and hauling bananas to take to market. They also perform odd jobs when needed: selling foods, sewing, etc.  The women have been discussing and brainstorming how they can establish a business for a consistent source of income. At the same time their dream to be entrepreneurs grew the Peace Corps volunteer learned about Bricks to Bread and reached out.

Nancy, Cristina and the women met and talked about the challenges and opportunities of working as a group.  Having Cristina with was invaluable as it allowed the women to ask her specific questions about being a woman entreprenur and running a bakery in Costa Rica. From that meeting they walked around the community and observed the opportunities for local bread sales.

Concluding the visit Cristina recognized that the community offered encouraging potential for a successful business for the women. Not only is there an abundance of homes and small convenient stores, but also the community is very united and supportive of each other.

Bricks to Bread finds this meeting and gathering of like minded women to be powerful and motivating. We are excited to share more of our bread baking, oven building, life changing journey through Costa Rica with you in the coming days.