Luis's Story: Succeeding Regardless of the Season

Luis has been a participant of the Supporting Community Leaders Program since 2018. He is from the community of Molinero, Atlántico, Colombia. He is 30 years old, married and has two daughters whom he adores. The name of his project uses the initials of his daughters' names. They currently live in his parents’ home, where they raise pigs and laying hens. Luis serves as a tutor of the Preparation for Social Action Program –PSA, and in a short time his first class will graduate. He has participated in the seminars of the program held in Cartagena and recently, due to the pandemic, has had to do so online.

In October 2020, he began his project to market shoes and sportswear with the help of his wife Dairomis, who is also a PSA tutor. Luis made contacts with a shoe and clothing wholesale company and his idea was to offer the products in his community and some neighboring communities by catalog. When the order arrived, he would be in charge of distributing what was sold and Dairomis would be in charge of collections. Luis says that “with this project, my wife and I have been able to improve various aspects of our lives, such as knowing how to manage a business and handle the money. The experience acquired in the project has provided us with a lot of learning for the family and community. At first, we did very well because it was the end of the year season and many orders could be placed; we even sold Zenú handicrafts – sombrero vueltiao. However, at the beginning of the year sales of shoes and clothes began to decline and the orders decreased.” The unit coordination consulted with Luis and decided that it would be good to diversify until the season returns. This was how they chose a new idea that Luis could develop, which was marketing fish. The profit margin was not the same as that of selling shoes and clothing, but at least the money and investments would keep moving. This is how it was decided to buy fish to sell in Molinero and once a week take it to Barranquilla, the capital of the province.

Luis has not lost his initial idea. He thinks that sometimes you have to adapt to the circumstances. He and his wife and daughters dream of one day having a small store where they can sell shoes, sportswear and other products to be able to have sales throughout the year, regardless of the season. He knows very well that the project requires perseverance and the support of his wife. He trusts that with God’s help everything is possible, and that with the support that he receives from the Program he can achieve it.