Our Compassion

At GoForth Institute, we believe that starting a small business is about much more than making a living – it can also liberate communities and create sustainable, positive change. Read about our efforts to make a difference through entrepreneurship.

Manchay Region, Peru

In March 2010, GoForth Institute was invited to take part in a Canadian International Development Agency - funded project in the Manchay region of Peru.

The Manchay region is a semi-rural community comprising approximately 190,000 people. Forty-two percent of them live in poverty. Over half of the homes in the Manchay community are built from wood and reed, with dirt floors. None of these homes have running water, sewage systems or electricity. We worked in an impoverished area of Manchay where 190,000 survivors of the Shining Path guerrillas make their home. Yet, the children and families we met were happy, generous engaging people. They wanted to learn how they could play a part in improving their own community.

GoForth Institute’s role on the development team is the provision of education to local farmers and other community members. Over the next 18 months, we will be assessing the skills of the community – such as literacy and math – and adapting our education program for culturally appropriate and relevant delivery.

Through this initiative, members of this rural community will be taught how to start, run and grow a business. They’ll learn about financing, supplies, cash flows, expenses and basic economic concepts they can build on. They’ll not only improve their own lives, but help to build a self-reliant, culturally relevant community as well. We look forward to seeing the entrepreneurs in the Manchay region contribute to the ongoing, sustainable health of their communities and families.