From Day Labourer to Entrepreneur
Christian Eduardo Pérez Vásquez, was a keen student at High School but dropped out to help support his family. The money his mother earned from washing clothes was simply not enough to meet their basic needs so Christian took on a job as a day labourer in La Paz. But, he wanted a better life for himself and his family so continued his High School studies at weekends.
It was while studying at weekends at Centro Manos Amigas para Bendecir in La Paz, that Christian joined the School Enterprise Challenge, learning how to run a real business
“With the knowledge I acquired in the School Enterprise Challenge, I decided to start a small business with my mother selling Horchata (a delicious milk drink made from rice and morro seeds).
We invested Lempira 400 (US$16) and in the first five hours of selling we made Lempira 2,800 (US$111) in profit. That is seven times our investment."
The family's monthly income has rocketed
In one day, their Horchata business generated the same income that his mother normally made in 2 weeks. With a regular profit of that amount their monthly income would be 164% x GDP per capita.
Their business has transformed their lives and their hopes for their future - Christian and his mother have secured a contract to supply a local school with Horchata and Christian is attending University, at weekends.
