Empowering Women Eco-Entrepreneurs
Galápagos Conservancy offers grants to women-owned small businesses focused on sustainability in Galápagos. We strive to center, resource, and support resident entrepreneurs, recognizing that empowering women through conservation can create positive, sustainable change in the Archipelago for people and ecosystems alike.
Investing in Women through Conservation Transforms Communities
- The Women in Sustainable Entrepreneurship (WISE) Program provides critical capital and promotes business education for Galapagueñas. We work closely with awardees as they develop and execute their business ventures, providing operational support where needed to maximize each project’s chance of success.
- Each awardee is encouraged to enroll in 10,000 Women. With ten online courses in Latin American Spanish from experts at Goldman Sachs, 10,000 Women features learning modules in all aspects of business, from financial planning to leadership to negotiation skills.
- By inviting women to join our collaborative learning cohort, Galápagos Conservancy hopes to support the growth of an entrepreneurial allyship network of women conservation leaders that can rise to meet the changing and often urgent conservation needs unique to Galápagos.
- Empowering women to be environmental stewards while prioritizing their education and economic development will have positive ripples affects throughout the Islands. The WISE Grant Program strives to create a more equitable and sustainable future for Galápagos.
Project Overview
Partnership
With staff experienced in women-led sustainable development projects, Galápagos Conservancy partnered with Goldman Sachs to create a program tailored to empowering women in conservation through education and entrepreneurship, like Karina Bautista of Huerta Luna Farm, a research farm focused on discovering the agroecological techniques best suited for farming in Galápagos.
Current Status
Research shows that women are powerful drivers of sustainable economies and societies. That’s why we’ve ramped up this program quickly, investing in 19 women-led businesses in year 1, including Jenny Macías’ Pasitos de Gigantes, an educational space using experiential learning to teach young children about Galápagos culture and conservation. We will continue expanding the scope of WISE in 2022.
Expected Outcomes
The WISE Program hopes to lay the foundation for a cultural shift towards women’s empowerment and leadership in the sustainability and conservation space in Galápagos.
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