With Contugas, in Peru, we train women who manage soup kitchens to develop their own enterprises. Recicla+ is an example.
In the locality of Alto El Molino, located in the province of Pisco, every day, under a splendid Peruvian sun, a group of micro-entrepreneurs meets led by Rosa Jorges, a dreamy, optimistic, ambitious woman full of that energy typical of the most enterprising women in this country.
In the midst of the hustle and bustle of her day to day life, and between pots, dishes and some diners that little by little begin to fill the environments of the Un Día Mejor soup kitchen, Rosa makes a stop in her work of attending to more than one hundred children of limited resources in the area.
“The recycled oil is not the only thing that has gone through a process of transformation to become household soap. We, the women of Recicla+, have also been transformed, we became entrepreneurs full of energy”.
Rosa Jorges, Recicla+ entrepreneur.
As she orders the dishes to serve lunch, she tells us about the achievements of her new venture: “I thought it would be impossible because we have very few resources. We did not have the assurance that this project would work out, but we decided to try”.
Rosa heads the Recicla+ project together with other women that are also members of the soup kitchen. She discovered the need to do something to improve the way waste products were being managed. News on social networks about the amount of waste polluting Pisco's beaches encouraged her to come up with a solution. So, she decided to start Recicla+.
Thanks to the training sessions we gave her from Contugas in baking, good food handling practices, personal development, administrative management and other topics directly related to the soup kitchen, Rosa acquired the tools to start her dream. The company granted her the free installation of natural gas for the operation of her soup kitchen.
During one of Contugas' visits to the soup kitchen, the women's team expressed their interest in starting a small enterprise that would be characterized by its Social Awareness and would have a great impact on the region and the environment.
“We were trained in business planning and had good teachers. And the best thing is the attitude and commitment of the Contugas employees. For us it was a great blessing that made it possible to make Recicla+ a reality,” says Rosa.
Every day, Rosa pedals her tricycle around Alto El Molino. Between climbs, descents, and bumps, she collects used oil from her neighbors' kitchens, which used to be thrown away. She now dumps it in the buckets she transports and takes the opportunity to raise awareness of recycling among the inhabitants.
Today, Recicla+ is a reality that is growing. Already, about 10 ecopoints have been installed (collection centers for used cooking oil and PET plastic) in companies, restaurants and educational institutions. She has also offered recycling workshops and strengthened its members’ self-esteem.
When she arrives at the warehouse, Rosa unloads a bucket containing the day's recycled oil from her tricycle and tells us: “We didn't think we would get so far. There are people who didn't believe in us, but we are still here, trusting, because we are doing this to ensure a better future for our children. I’m grateful to Contugas for giving us this opportunity and for helping me to make my dream come true. We also want to encourage other women to go after their own dreams”.