Nicaragua: Till the day is new

Saturday morning has become perhaps my favorite morning of the week. Why? Saturday is market day, that's why. I wake up knowing that I get to walk six blocks to reach the stretch of street where a buzz of people are itching to buy all the pineapples, avocados, lemons, mangoes, coconuts, and bananas their hearts could possibly desire. It's not that these items are not available for purchase every other day of the week; it's that the Saturday market is a special farmer's market where people from the "campo" come in to the city to sell their goods.

This morning after buying my weekly pineapple and avocados, I had to go home and prepare myself for my first session as a business consultant. Okay, that sounds way more fancy than the job actually is. What do I mean by "business consultant?"

I have made a connection with a women's cooperative here in my community and I am developing a financial education course to complete with them over the next 6-12 months. The "piggy bank" culture which we have in the States doesn't exist on the same level here (if at all), so the goal of this project is to give rise to a culture of saving and help these women raise money for their personal goals. Some want to open a small business, others want to make their existing businesses grow, and others simply want to live with more financial security. 

Now, when I say "small business," I mean really small. As in, putting up a few shelves in one's home, stocking them with milk, eggs, toilet paper, and other necessities, and offering these items for sale to the neighbors. May not sound like a big deal, but it is. It is the difference between generating some source of income and not. My role as the "consultant" is to offer my advice along the way, helping with inventory and pricing, setting up an accounting system, encouraging publicity, etc. 

Honestly, when I read the "business advising" part of my job description a few months ago I was somewhat frightened. Completely intimidated by having the title of "consultant," it just did not seem like something I could or wanted to do. However, after experiencing the actuality of what this position entails in the Nicaraguan setting, I am excited for all of the opportunity surrounding us. I am looking forward to making progress with my business-owning friends over the coming months.