Paying it forward: student group collaborates on international entrepreneurship workshop

Third-year business management student Alia Khan recently facilitated the first virtual ShePreneur workshop for women involved in El Pozo de Vida (external link) , a non-governmental organization that fights human trafficking in Mexico and Central America.

The project is a partnership between Enactus TMU – a non-profit student organization dedicated to sustainable entrepreneurship – and ShePreneur founder, Tanya Dodaro. As a long time entrepreneur, Dodaro felt compelled to initiate a mission to provide young women with the tools and the attitude they need to develop an entrepreneurial mindset.

Not all women grow up in an environment that nurtures the characteristics that are important to starting a business. To address that,  the ShePreneur project adopted a mission to equip girls who face life challenges with the knowledge, self-assurance and mentorship they need to find something that inspires them and to think about creating a business of their own.

So far just over 40 women across Latin America and Africa have signed up for the 10-week program which includes guided workshops that give participants the skills, support and coaching required to start a business.

Each week the women learn about the mindset of an entrepreneur, how to generate business ideas, identifying customers, growing a business through marketing and developing an execution plan. At the end, three of the most promising businesses will receive $500 each to execute viable business plans in their communities.

“Our goal is to inspire young, marginalized women in vulnerable life situations to develop entrepreneurial skills so they can be self-sufficient and reach their full potential,” said Dodaro. “Our facilitators, mentors and supportive community members provide the momentum that helps us affect real and lasting change.

The project kicked off in January when the partnership with Enactus TMU began. Dodaro had approached Ted Rogers School of Management professors Philip Walsh and Steven Gedeon, both faculty advisors for Enactus TMU who provide strategic advice on various projects.

Khan, who is also Enactus TMU president, has been involved with the non-profit organization since her first year. When Gedeon told her about the opportunity to expand internationally, she jumped in.

Khan had been interested in joining Enactus since she was in high school when family friends at TMU told her about their experiences.

“Even before I came here I knew I wanted to be part of it,” said Khan. “When I joined I was really interested in the projects that were serving developing communities around the world. I also have a passion for helping women achieve their entrepreneurial goals, so this project was aligned with my values.”

Molina has also been part of Enactus since his first year at TMU and moved his way up to vice-president right before graduating this year. Having grown up in Cuba, Molina has always been keen to give back to his Latino community.

He saw the ShePreneur project as an excellent opportunity to expand the Enactus entrepreneurship program and build financial literacy for entrepreneurs who are women. Molina, who is fluent in Spanish, has been involved with the curriculum creation and translation.

As the ShePreneur project continues to work with their partners in Mexico City, they are also busy launching in four other countries, including the Dominican Republic, South Africa, Kenya, and Peru. They are partnering with international organizations who will be supporting their efforts and connecting them with potential program participants.

Find out more about how to support this initiative at the ShePreneur project (external link) .

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