This project will help: 40 caregivers and their families
Estimated completion date: November 2026
Country: Colombia
Executive summary
In the Sucre region of Colombia, many caregivers are struggling to find employment and earn an income to support their families. In the city of Sincelejo, Sucre’s capital city, economic difficulties have increased significantly in recent years. According to DANE (Colombia’s National Administrative Department of Statistics), in May 2024 the unemployment rate increased to more than 10 per cent across the country and reached 10.8 per cent in Sucre, highlighting persistent challenges faced by the labour market.
The current economic challenges in the region have been caused by several factors. Many caregivers rely on informal, inconsistent employment, such as independent work in retail or as motorcycle transportation drivers. In addition, many families live below the poverty line, and single-income households with up to eight members are not uncommon in the area. Prices have also skyrocketed; in 2023, Sincelejo was ranked as the second most expensive city in the country.
Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, some families sought help from their local churches to start small home-based businesses such as chicken rearing, selling products at street markets and growing fruits and vegetables. However, the pandemic and its subsequent lockdowns severely disrupted small businesses and eroded their already limited capital. Many caregivers had no choice but to take out informal loans. These informal loans often charge extremely high interest—sometimes as much as 20, 30 or even 40 per cent for a single month. In response, local churches have stepped in to support vulnerable families. Some churches mobilized resources to create a “revolving fund” that provides capital for family-run businesses or provides families with emergency relief.
At the CO0612 and CO0771 centres in the Sucre II region, staff have been providing families with emergency food aid. However, staff at these two church partners have noted the urgent need to train and empower caregivers so that they can build reliable, sustainable sources of income and provide for their families.
With your generous support, 40 caregivers from the CO0612 and CO0771 centres in Sincelejo and Corozal, respectively, will attend an intensive business training program. The training will teach caregivers how to start and sustain small businesses in their communities, manage their finances and develop an entrepreneurial mindset. Caregivers will also receive personalized guidance and mentorship as well as the start-up capital needed to launch their small businesses.
Summary
Background
In April 2020, Compassion’s frontline church partners in the Sucre II region of Colombia noted that all registered families had reported limited access to basic necessities, especially food. To address this challenge, the CO0612 and CO0771 centres offered food aid for the most vulnerable registered children and their families. These two centres serve in predominantly Indigenous communities, where many caregivers have struggled to find reliable employment—especially during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. Food aid was given to families over a period of two years. The local churches have been training youth at the centres in life skills such as manicures and pedicures, barbering and jewelry making. However, centre staff have become more aware of the dire need to provide caregivers with training and support so that they can launch small businesses, regain their livelihoods and earn a consistent income.
The need
The COVID-19 pandemic caused widespread economic disruption around the world, leading to job losses, reduced incomes and increased financial hardship for millions of people. In the Sucre region of Colombia, many caregivers already struggling to earn an income saw their small businesses severely impacted due to the pandemic. Many caregivers lost their businesses entirely and had no choice but to take out exploitative loans. Without support, these caregivers have little hope of restoring their livelihoods and supporting their families.
Your generous gift will help 40 vulnerable caregivers from two Compassion centres in Colombia attend intensive business training workshops in a life skill of their choice. Caregivers will be selected based on their entrepreneurial aptitude and motivation as well as their business experience in the community. During workshops, caregivers will learn how to start and sustain small businesses within their communities, manage their finances, save a portion of their income and market their businesses. Caregivers will also receive seed capital to start small businesses such as animal or crop farming, retail stores and handicraft businesses.
In addition, centre staff will work closely with local Indigenous leaders and representatives to ensure that the entrepreneurial strategies are designed and carried out in ways that respect and align with local cultural values and traditions and ensure that the small businesses are accepted by the community.
What your gift will do
Your generous support will equip and empower 40 caregivers from the CO0612 and CO0771 Compassion centres in Colombia to start their own small businesses, including:
- Business and entrepreneurship workshops for 40 participants
- Support and follow-up after training
- CO0771
- Supplies clothing store (3 families)
- Supplies for neighbourhood store (7 families)
- Supplies for food sales (4 families)
- Other supplies (1 family)
- CO0612
- Supplies for beauty services (2 families)
- Supplies for upholstery store (1 family)
- Supplies for animal husbandry business (2 families)
- Supplies for neighbourhood store (7 families)
- Supplies for handicraft business (4 families)
- Supplies for fast food business (5 families)
- Supplies for clothing store (4 families)
- Business fair
- Administration and reporting
Logistics
- Local contribution: US$4,002.08
- Handling of funds: Compassion International Colombia and church and centre leadership will ensure this project stays within budget.
- Monitoring and follow-up: A monitoring committee made up the pastor, insurer, centre director, a mentor and other committee members will be formed at the beginning of this intervention. Meetings will be held with the monitoring committee once a month to evaluate the compliance of caregivers with the training. The committee will also follow up with and provide support for caregivers and their small businesses after their training.