One major reason low income Mexicans migrate to the United States is that they can’t make enough money to support their families in Mexico. They often have ideas for how they could make more money at home but lack capital or some of the skills needed to get started. From our origins, Border Partners has wanted to assist them.
Augmenting Income
Border Partners’ sponsored course gave potential entrepreneurs skills to start businesses.
Border Partners works with residents of Puerto Palomas who demonstrate impressive abilities and bring their experience– as well as an entrepreneurial spirit– to opportunities to develop as business people.
Juan Velasco, a successful businessman in the United States and a native Spanish speaker, and his wife, Suzanne Dulle, who also has business experience, taught a class in the winter of 2014 to a group of eight aspiring entrepreneurs in Palomas. Each of the students came with an idea for a business s/he wanted to start or expand. Juan and Suzanne taught them the elements of writing a business plan and as each person wrote one for their business, they offered critique and suggestions. In some cases, they were able to find money to help them start their business. This class is ongoing with Juan presenting the session most recently in February 2024.
Several of the businesses have begun. One student is selling the water filters developed by Border Partners. Another man with electrical skills started offering his services in town. An ice cream business expanded.
Border Partners has helped existing businesses too. A man who sells snacks at events wanted to sell at our Sports Center. We agreed if he would first build a covered area from which to sell (with materials paid by Border Partners) and agree to clean the bathrooms which were adjacent after each event.
We hope this class will be repeated as aspiring entrepreneurs come forward.
Palomas Oilcloth Designs–A Worker-Owned Business
Palomas Oilcloth Designs is a successful, worker owned cooperative business formed in 2009 with assistance from Border Partners.
Learn more about the women-owned, fair trade business: Palomas Oilcloth Designs.