Finally started! After a long preparation, the first weekend of December 2012, “Vivamos el Bosque” held its first workshop under its Social Entrepreurship and Conservation program for youth at El Maltón Community.

I had the pleasure to host six youth from El Maltón community in Quito and two inspiring Social Entrepreneurs that work hard every day to conserve the biodiversity of Ecuador, Gabriel Iturralde from Floare, and Lola Guarderas from Wikiri. Their personal experiences leading a social business that aim to protect the Orchids and the frogs in Ecuador, gave as a clear overview of why, how and when to start such a business.

The workshop was interactive and rich in information. We had lunch together and went visit some shops in Quito where products from other social business are sold.

The sessions help me with the later preparation of training modules and curriculum that will respond to the needs identified in the training need assessment, and we worked on the development of a curriculum and an implementation plan for a proposed mermelades business.