The Moquegua region is located in the south of Peru, on the western slopes of the Andes Mountains. Nature has endowed this area with ideal soils for agriculture, which is one of the economic activities most in need of innovation. Furthermore, two years of pandemics and the limited economic income of families have led to an appreciation of the value of entrepreneurship in local educational contexts.

In response to this context, ODP Jesuitas of Peru and Solarpack collaborate to implement the project "Development of entrepreneurship by students in the Moquegua region", which is an initiative promoted by the Centre for Education, Organisation and Promotion of Development (CEOP) Ilo. In particular, it seeks to strengthen comprehensive capacities for the development of entrepreneurial proposals in 180 secondary school students, belonging to 6 educational institutions in Moquegua.

The project has a duration of 12 months and will have a special impact on students with a high degree of vulnerability, with interest and motivation to undertake proposals of value and innovation that contribute for the improvement of their community.

For students, the project includes training, student internships, entrepreneurship fairs and an interprovincial entrepreneurship competition. As for teachers, methodological resources for teaching entrepreneurship in schools will be reinforced. As for parents, they are expected to participate in awareness-raising talks and effective communication about their children's activities.

On the value of the project, Anselma Flores - project coordinator - points out: "Priority will be given to a process approach where all the skills developed can serve to the student as a preparation for future decisions, whether they decide to pursue an entrepreneurial vision or aspire to continue their education in higher education".

PROJECT’S SIGNATURE

The cooperation agreement for this new initiative was signed on 21 September. The meeting took place in Getxo, Solarpack's headquarters in Spain, and was chaired by Pablo Burgos - CEO of Solarpack - and Gianfranco Dulanto - Executive Director of ODP Jesuitas of Peru -, who reaffirmed their commitment to the people of Moquegua, for the promotion of social innovation initiatives.

This initiative is in addition to the other projects that continue to run for another year as a result of the alliance between ODP and Solarpack, one of them closely linked to the promotion of entrepreneurship in Moquegua, and whose objective is the implementation of the Early Stimulation Centre for Innovative Business Development. Likewise, Solarpack has supported the project "Women free of violence in Tacna" which, hand in hand and in collaboration with the Cristo Rey Centre of the Jesuits of Peru, seeks to improve the lives of women in marginalised neighbourhoods in the city of Tacna. Finally, and with the intention of responding to the climate emergency, Solarpack and ODP have joined forces to generate and strengthen ecological awareness in the younger generations, through the project "Súmale Energía el Mundo" (Add Energy to the World).