Case Study: Small Business Development in El Alto

©:Erin Lubin/CARE

Maria Calle completed a 10-day training course with CARE's project last year. "Before I took the training, we were doing everything without a business plan or direction.The training has helped us to organize our business, to make decisions and to promote our products," Maria says. "We now have a business plan that we follow. For example, every month we try to produce between 15,000 and 18,000 small bags of chocolates."

Through her training, Maria also learned to measure direct and indirect costs and to buy materials in advance so that they do not run out and lose production time. "My husband and I make decisions about the business together. Often, he asks me for advice because I usually make better decisions than he does," Maria says, laughing.

Maria and Severo's income is now nearly triple what is was before they began the business. Owning her own company is a source of great satisfaction for Maria, and a significant change from the past when she and her two young daughters relied on her husband’s meagre income to get by. "I like working and I like being busy. I spend most of my time working here. I feel very proud of my business and the fact that I am my own boss," Maria says, smiling.