Ideas

IDEAS continued its work in Mexico with migrants from 7 Latin American countries. We worked with those who immigrate officially to Mexico that have become a destination country for half a million migrants during the last 5 years. We continued our work with small entrepreneurs in helping them gain economic inclusion in Mexico. We assisted them to achieve financial inclusion by linking them with microfinance institutions (MFIs). We started with one that lends to over 615 Central Americans. Most borrowers increased their sales and businesses and were able to generate income for their families' needs. We assist that MFI to change the ways that it presented its information to potential international lenders and help recruit them. Some lenders are non-profit, and all are lending to assist to provide greater socioeconomic impact (that IDEAS evaluates).

IDEAS assists young people to achieve their economic and financial goals and overcome the exclusion that they often face. In 2021, we analyzed and advised a major international organization working on several continents to improve the entrepreneurial training that is used to train youth to create and develop their first businesses. This advice helped other NGOs as well. IDEAS has had a strong solar program that trained young people in how to install and maintain solar rooftop systems and sell hand held products. As the Nicaraguan economy contracted, we were able to donate some of the unused products to youth in other parts of the country. In Mexico, we began developing work with a business incubator that trains youth to create their first businesses. In each of these situations, some of the youth already had begun assisting their families so there is a need to make sure that the businesses could bring home income as well as to sustain their businesses.

Over 4 decades, IDEAS has preferred assisting women in their businesses so that they can better support their families. Migrants want and need to support themselves as quickly as possible. Many of the women microenterpreneurs choose to run food businesses. Some women sell using recipes brought from their countries of origin complementing that with Mexican food. Most women start with home-based businesses and move to stores as their businesses grow. Important parts of entrepreneurial education is to learn the Mexican regulations and to operate profitably. At first, some of the women need services from our allies such as therapy, health, and legal services. IDEAS is helping to overcome the bias that excludes women from a full economic development. The women who are entrepreneurs in their original countries typically can grow their businesses quickly. We also assist those who were not businesswomen before. Some who were para-professionals are able to adapt more quickly.

Administrative