Meet the graduates from our Bootcamp in Nicaragua. Our talent platform, provides the opportunity for our entrepreneurs to expand their client base connecting them with new local markets. If you are based locally you can purchase their products by pressing the ‘shop here’ button that will connect you with their sales channel via Facebook or WhatsApp.
XtraOrdinary Entrepreneurs
Empower low income entrepreneurs!
Fisheries and Aquaculture
Lindabeti Rizo y Jessica Hernández
Solimar Cooperative
About
This business created by mother (Lindabeti) and daughter (Jessica), was born 4 years ago with the aim of helping the local business of Las Lisas, Chiquimulilla in Guatemala. Today the Solimar Cooperative employs more than 10 workers, inhabitants of the areas to improve their quality of life.
What I Do
Products
Capture and sale of fresh seafood
Jovina Cruz e Ivette Cobb
Sarteneja Homestay Group
About
Under the idea of creating environmentally sustainable job opportunities, Jovina Cruz and Ivette Cobb are the leaders of the Sarteneja Homestay project made up in total by 6 working women for 10 years, where they offer comfortable rooms for foreign and national tourists who wish to experience rural life and quiet that offers the Sarteneja village in Belize.
What I Do
Products
Comfortable Eco-friendly Rooms.
Silvia de León
Marisquería Delicias del Mar
About
Faithful to following family traditions, Silvia left a cooperative and two years ago she built her independent business, called Marisquería “Delicias del Mar”. Located in Puerto Champerico, Retalhuleu in Guatemala, he decided to continue the family business, where he already has 4 other members who help him fish and market his products.
What I Do
Products
At Marisquería “Delicias de Mar” they offer fish, shrimp of all sizes, octopus, crabs and more.
Francisca Ajpacajá, Claudia Ajpacajá y Ana Sohom
Truchicultura Santa Catarina
About
Sisters Francisca, Claudia and Ana, in 2016 began their venture in one of the basins of the Tején River, Truchicultura Santa Catarina, located in Ixtahuacan in the department of Sololá in Guatemala. The sisters belonging to the Maya K’iche ‘ethnic group, saw the need to support their families for their livelihood and at the same time provide highly nutritional and food-safe products in the area.
What I Do
Products
Cultivation and sale of Rainbow Trout.
Ana Ortiz, Ana Oliva y Thelma Quevedo
Comercializadora Ana
About
Ana Oliva, being the president of the Asocomarch Cooperative that has 55 workers, decided to create an enterprise that was born from this association, called Comercializadora Ana, where her daughter Ana Ortiz and another member, Thelma Quevedo collaborate
What I Do
Products
Artisanal fishing of different fishery products such as: Shrimp, Lobster, Fish, Crabs and Shells.
Yecenia Tellechea
La Fe de Dios
About
“I started my business in 2006, with a lot of effort I managed to get financial support and together with my children I started my first sales position, then I moved to another place and my sales increased.” After 15 years, Yecenia has managed to provide work to other people improving their quality of life and opened a Ranch by the sea in Buena Vista in Guatemala.
What I Do
Products
All kinds of seafood: lobsters, octopus, fish, shells, crabs and more.
Celenia Zuniga
Golfo Azul
About
The Multiple Use Company Golfo Azul, has been founded for 8 years and is located in Cedeño, El Lagartillo in Honduras, and where Celenia Zuniga is the representative of this group, which is currently made up of 16 members.
“It started with a group of 25 people with the need to generate income for their family, holding fortnightly meetings in different places because there was no place of their own for the group, it was even the support of an NGO that we were able to acquire land and build our first lagoon to grow saltwater tilapia, then we were able to expand the land and build another lagoon “
What I Do
Products
Saltwater Tilapia and Shrimp Crops
Glenda Peña
Ikigai Investments
About
After working 30 years in a company, Glenda decided to open her own business in 2019, a business where all her family and friends could support their home, that’s how Inversiones Ikigai was born. Located in La Ceiba, Atlántida in Honduras, this consolidated business has 50 workers.
What I Do
Products
Seafood purchase and sales
Dilcia Amador
AquaSur
About
Dilcia, alongside with 3 other members, founded the Inversiones Múltiples AquaSur venture, created in 2016 in Choluteca, Honduras. “We started out of the need to satisfy a fingerling market, because in southern Honduras there was no company to supply that local market.”
What I Do
Products
Cultivation and Raising of Fingerlings
Jolie Pollard
IKOOMA
About
In 2019, Jolie was struggling to find appropriate and healthy products for her curly hair. From his kitchen, he decided to create the first prototypes of a natural product based on seaweed, which was healthy, inexpensive and that would help different types of curly hair, which are the ethnic hallmark in his village of Placencia in Belize. Currently, Jolie is the founder of the IKOOMA (Aikuma) startup.
What I Do
Products
Seaweed hair care products, including: Gel and Moisturizing Creams for curly hair.
Lily, Delmi y Esperanza Canul
Sarteneja Beach Trap Pesca Tour Association
About
Sisters Esperanza and Lily Canul and their sister-in-law Delmi Canul are the founders of Sarteneja Beach Trap Pesca Tour Association, which has been in operation since 2018. A business made up of 26 members, inhabitants of the Sarteneja fishing village, in the country of Belize.
“The association was formed when the owners of the beach traps joined forces to create an alternative way of life, the idea is that we not only depend on commercial fishing but also we can give the tour service to tourists who want to experience the way like traditional fishermen take fish out of their traps every day ”says Lily Canul.
What I Do
Products
Due to the pandemic, they had to stop the tours, but they survive from the artisanal fishing and commercialization of different maritime species such as: chiwa, beaked, snapper, mojarra, crab, jurrel, snook, mullet, salted fish and shredded fish.
Karla Meza
Valle de Roca Cooperative
About
“At the beginning we were a small group of shell women, then we learned about snapper and we realized that we could get more benefits … three years later, we are 10 women with the same goal, to support our family.” Karla is the main founder of the Valle de Roca Cooperative, located in Aserradores, Chinandega in Nicaragua.
What I Do
Products
Capture and sale of Lunarejo Snapper
Ena Irias
Tilapia Fresca
About
Ena, inaugurated its red tilapia cultivation and sale company in 2016 located in Comayagua, Honduras. With all his effort, he invested all his money in this project when he saw the need and opportunity to commercialize this product in the northern part of the country.
What I Do
Products
Cultivation and sale of Red Tilapia
Soani Elvir
AquaFood
About
Soani, along with 5 members, all food professionals, still “against a pandemic” decided to open AquaFood, a company located in the Aguacatillo village, Olancho in Honduras.
What I Do
Products
Cultivation, breeding and commercialization of Red Tilapia and cultivation of vegetables in an aquaponic system.
Julieth Vilchez
Luz del Mar Cooperative
About
Julieth is the representative of the Luz del Mar Cooperative, created 4 years ago by a group of 19 fishermen who were looking for job opportunities to feed their families. This cooperative is located in the rural community El Tintal, Chinandega in Nicaragua.
What I Do
Products
Cultivation and rearing of Lunarejo Snapper in floating cages.
María Eugenia Ordoñez
Nueva Jerusalén Cooperative
About
“The cooperative was born from the impulse of friends and neighbors of the Puerto Morazán community to become shrimp producers and improve our living conditions and become shrimp producers” The Nueva Jerusalem Cooperative opened its doors in 2010 and since then, it offers opportunities to I work to inhabitants of the area.
What I Do
Products
Artisan Production and Sale of Shrimp.
Alba Cáceres
El Buen Camino Cooperative
About
Alba along with her family fulfilled their dream of opening their own cooperative in Aserradores, Chinandega in Nicaragua. His Cooperativa Camaronera Artesanal El Buen Camino and currently employs 11 workers from the same community.
What I Do
Products
Sale of fresh and frozen Lunarejo Snapper.
Arelys Flores
Abraham Moreno Cooperative
About
Arelys is the representative of the Abraham Moreno Cooperative, located in the stuary Padre Ramos in Chinandega. This cooperative was created to implement better fish catching practices and thus protect the estuary.
What I Do
Products
Capture and commercialization of red and lunarejo Snapper
Leyla Fierro
Sandino Casares Cooperative
About
Leyla is the representative of the Sandino Casares Artisanal Fishing Cooperative, which began in 2019 and currently employs 26 heads of families to obtain economic benefits. “Before 2019, this cooperative was only a collection center, but with everyone’s effort we managed to become an association.”
What I Do
Products
Capture of Golden Snapper
Karla Gutiérrez
El Marinero Collection Center
About
Karla opened her own El Marinero Seafood Collection Center for 18 years in Casares, Carazo in Nicaragua and currently with the help of her children they distribute their products throughout the municipality. “I started collecting fish and lobster as bread baskets and to date we already have our boats and it is collected from other pangas.”
What I Do
Products
Collection and commercialization of fresh and frozen seafood
María Obando
Mariscos Masachapa
About
María created the Mariscos Masachapa entreprenurship located in San Rafael del Sur in Nicaragua for 8 years, being her beginnings as a street seller of freshly caught seafood, traveling the entire coast with a plastic corduroy on her head. Today, it has employed 10 heads of families and has divided its business in two, catching and marketing fish products and a seafood stall on the seashore.
What I Do
Products
Fresh seafood and maritime gastronomy
Eva Luz Silva
Marcelino Méndez Cooperative
About
“Living near an estuary is difficult to harvest basic necessities and it was urgent to get money and together we founded the Marcelino Mendéz Cooperative for 8 years.” Eva Luz is an artisan shell and fisherwoman. This cooperative is located in the Estero Padre Ramos in El Viejo, Chinandega.
What I Do
Products
Capture and commercialization of Red Snapper
Lidia Calderón
Triunfadores con Cristo Cooperative
About
Triunfadores con Cristo Coopeartive, located in the estuary of the La Ballona community, El Viejo in Nicaragua. Lydia is the representative of this association that was created in 2018 and currently employs 14 heads of families.
What I Do
Products
Cultivation, breeding and capture of Lunarejo Snapper and Red Snapper.
Ana y Laura Requenez
"El Sueño del Archipiélago El Nancital" Cooperative
About
“We started as a group of women fishermen with the aim of better marketing our products and seeking better opportunities for ourselves and our families… thus, fourteen years ago we started the Cooperative of Artisanal Women Fishermen“ El Sueño del Archipiélago ”. This cooperative is located in the Archipiélago El Nancital community in Nicaragua
What I Do
Products
- Tilapia
- Mojarra
- Guapote
- Lagunero
- Sábalo.
Artisan crafts
Martha Fonseca
Creaciones
Graceling
About
Martha is an artist from Bilwi, the carribbean coast of Nicaragua. She paints on natural ‘canvas’ such as shells, drift wood to create decorative and functional pieces of art from keyrings to paintings.
What I Do
Products
- Keychains
- Home decorations
- Clothing made from a tree bark called ‘tuno’:
- Handbags
- Vests
- Hats
- All designs can be customized to your liking.
Damaris López
Piñatas Estrada Ordoñez
About
Damaris makes fantastic piñatas from start to finish with quality materials and unique techniques in Masaya. Currently offers the service for all kinds of celebrations, designs and sizes.
Along side with her husband, who lost his job due to the pandemic, they are moving forward to support the economy of their home.
What I Do
Products
Piñatas for the occasion you need from baptisms, birthdays, baby showers and more.
Guisell Obando
Mujer Creativa
Guisell creates event decorations. Her specialties are candy table arrangements, piñatas, decorative arch installations.
About
“I could not go to university due to financial problems. So I decided to study skills with which I could start my own business. I took courses in sewing, arts & crafts and baking. My products are unique, they can be personalized and will add that special detail to your event.”
Products
- Candy tables
- Party decorations
- Piñatas
Amanda Cano
Acandú Ideas Creativas
What I Do
About
Amanda sells school supplies and creates decorations for children’s parties.
“I am a single mother and I was left without a job. I had to start a business from one to the next to be able to take care of my 4 children. In my house I opened a small school supplies shop, which just about pays the bills. But my real product is children’s party decorations, which I love creating “
Products
- Decorations for children’s parties
- Selfie frames centerpieces
- Balloon decorations
- Candy bags
- Cards for all occasions
- Flower arrangements
Xochilt Mejía
Arte-Sanos Nicaragua
About
Xochilth makes handmade dolls, personalized for boys and girls.
Products
These beautiful dolls are handmade and can be personalized: design the clothes, hairstyle, accessories and color. Make it a girl or a boy. You can also embroider your name for a child who will love this precious gift.
What I Do
SHOP HERE
Ivonne Toruño
Creaciones Ivonne
About
Ivonne makes handbags and mini backpacks with recycled fabric scraps
Products
Ivonne designs the bags herself but also creates personalized pieces. You can up-cycle your old clothes with Ivonne and have her turn them into a unique bag just for you. Each bag is an original since the fabrics are not repeated.
What I Do
SHOP HERE
Adela Reyes
Recicla Happy Glass
About
Adela started Recicla Happy Glass to find a solution to the trash in her neighborhood, and to create a unique product with the aim of reaching a new type of clientele.
Adela melts and molds every bottle by hand; she does the entire recycling and production process herself in her home.
Products
Glasses and plant pots, made from hand-cast glass bottles in a variety of colors and sizes.
What I Do
SHOP HERE
Nelly Marenco
Súper Tierno
About
Nelly learnt the art of “amigurumi” on the internet; the Japanese art of knitting or knitting little creatures out of stuffed yarn.
“I am fascinated by all the creations that can arise from thread and needle. I started selling in 2018 to support my family. As a full time mom I have to work from home to be able to look after my children too.”
Products
Personalized garments and dolls made by hand with the “amigurumi” technique.
What I Do
SHOP HERE
Claudia Pavón
Manitos creativas
About
Claudia offers unique decorations and crafts for events. Claudia designs stunning table centerpieces, with the option of adding sweets too. Her handmade gifts for events are a lovley souvenier for your guests.
Products
- Party decoration
What I Do
+505 7761 8112
Beauty and self-care
Olga Cruz
Uñas Olmary
About
Olga offers manicure and pedicure services with hand-painted designs or acrylic nails.
“Our salon is family run. We offer a personalized, comfortable service. We are on a mission to make you feel as unique and beautiful as you are.”
Products
Manicure and pedicure
Cristina Domínguez
D'Cristy Aceites Esenciales
What I Do
About
“We focus on promoting your physical and emotional well-being, synonymous with attracting purity, potency and effectiveness to your life.” Contact Cristina for 100% natural plant-based essential oils and dōTERRA diffusers. Accompanied by personalized and technical advice, to fit your needs.
Products
Cristina sells natural oils made from extracts of fruits and medicinal plants to relieve discomfort or illness.
SHOP HERE
Jessica Sánchez
Mayayá
What I Do
About
I started my perfume business so I could send my daughter to school. I also sell school supplements from my home but that income is not sufficient. Selling perfumes is how I support my household. I want to be known for offering the best products in my community.
Products
Perfumes for men and women, long lasting, and unique alternatives to designer fragrances.
Juana Pichardo
Uñas Jennifer
About
Juana offers the service of manicure and pedicure from her home, with a home treatment in her community, to women who seek a quality and friendly service.
”I started my business little by little so that I could pay and send my daughter to school. At the same time it helped me to sell school supplies from my home. I want to offer the women in my community and neighborhood the best products.”
What I Do
Products
Pedicure and Manicure
Vida Jiménez
Salón de Belleza Vida
What I Do
About
Salon style hair care, in your home. “I want to make my clients feel special and beautiful. I style hair with love”
Products
Blow-dry and hair styling, in the comfort of your own home.
Clothing and accessories
Marcela Cueto
Maya's Baúl
About
Maya’s Baul, means ‘Maya’s treasure’ and a true trove it is. You can visit her store in her home or hop over to Maya’s Baul on social media where you will be able to see her latest finds for sale. Remember there is only one of everything so if you love it, buy it now!
Products
Marcela sells second hand clothing that she carefully curates for the fun loving, fashionable woman in her 20s – 30s.
What I Do
SHOP HERE
Esmeralda García
Arte y Crochet Esmeralda
About
Esmeralda has a small stand in the Oriental Market and will also make personalised products.
The bootcamp helped Esmeralda to increase her sales by 20% and her business is breaking even for the first time in 5 years!
Products
What I Do
Esmeralda creates art with crochet. From delicately hand made earrings to every day tops and cardigans; Esmeralda makes all her accesories by hand, using her own designs.
SHOP HERE
Aida Luz
Variedades Aida Luz
About
Aida Luz started a small grocery store in 2012 to be able to send her daughter to school. Her business grew little by little, but she was losing money due to a bad cost structure and needed to make it sustainable. Her business is now growing and she is providing employment for her nephew.
Products
What I Do
Enrolled in our ‘Bootcamp’ she developed her business plan, changed her cost structure and integrated a new product line called ‘Variedades Aida Luz’ offering accessories, makeup and clothing.
+505 7889 0903
Elieth Ruíz
ROZA Boutique
About
“I realized that many women wanted to put on makeup but had no economic product to do it. So I decided to find a way to meet this need in my community.” Products that fit the budget so you can look good at no great expense!
Products
What I Do
- Beauty products and image consulting for women.
- Makeup
- Women’s clothes accessories
- Image consulting
Lizet Escobar
Zapatos Peque
About
Lizet was inspired by her children to start her own business. She lives in Masaya, Nicaragua and has two children. As inspiration and thanks to her skills and her husband’s, they started with “Little Shoes”. They handcrafted shoes for newborns and infants.
They make different designs with materials that are friendly to the baby’s condition. They have been making their products at home for more than 5 years.
Products
What I Do
Shoes for babies from 0 to 1 year old with personalized styles handcrafted in Masaya.
SHOP HERE
Sweets
Martha Duarte
Trocantes Crocantes
About
Marta’s trocantes are really delicious! She makes this traditional sweet based on a family recipe.
Marta started selling her candy on buses. She would get up at 3am evey day to catch the morning rush hour, hopping on and off buses with her wares. On our Bootcamp we help her establish her online sales and create packages for cafes and individual customers.
Products
The perfect sweet gift for the festive holidays. Order a bag from Marta through her Facebook page.
What I Do
+505 8178 5630
Food
Carol Lucas
Paco Mermás
About
Carol has a small coffee shop in Bello Horizonte, offering typical breakfast.
When Carol enrolled in our Bootcamp her menu prices were set based on what she thought they should be, so she was losing money. We help ed her get her finances in order and restructure her prices. That done, Carol can now focus on her sales plan.
Products
She began to include delivery to deal with a drop in customers due to COVID-19, and will soon be listed on local food delivery app ‘Hugo’. She offers breakfasts, Batidos, Quesadillas, Burritos, Salsas and Sour milk
What I Do
Valeria Fonseca
Pollo Rico
About
Valeria lost her job due to the economic crisis of 2018. Pollo Rico was born out of necessity to generate her own income as the job market was severely affected due to the socio political crisis.
Together with her husband, Valeria identified a need in her community: access to good quality sausage, meat and chicken products that did not involve travelling the great distance to the market. Valeria now has 2 stores.
Products
On the Bootcamp we helped her with her online sales channels and marketing: Pollo Rico offers a catalog of products for delivery and take away now too.
COMPRA AQUÍ
What I Do
Kelia Icabalceta
Repostería Icabalceta
About
Kelia lost her job at a telecommunications agency due to the 2018 socio-political crisis in Nicaragua and was unable to find another. She loved to bake, so she started selling her cakes.
Products
Icabalceta Pastry offers cakes made with family recipes that have the taste of home. She also create traditional nicaraguan baked snacks. The cakes are made to order, Kelia offers a a variety of flavors and custom designs.
What I Do
Juana Mayorga
El mercadito de Juanita
About
Juanita wis bringing fresh fruit and vegetables to her community in a pop-up van. Her community, Xiloá, is 3 hours away from the nearest market, traveling by foot and by bus.
“My community has no electricity and we only get water 3 times a week. We are isolated. I want to change this and build a better future for my family and help my neighbours get good, healthy food. Otherwise, nothing will get better,”
Products
What I Do
- Vegetables
- Fruits
Home
Francis Flores
Casa Linda
About
Francis makes curtains and sells bed sheets and textiles for the home. “I started selling bales of bedding. Today I have a small workshop where I sew curtains. In the future I want to expand to various textile products and one day I would like to teach.”
What I Do
Products
- Custom made curtains Bedding (new and second hand)
- Textiles for the home
