Nicaragua: When it's all over

Suitcases packed with four-days worth of clothing, a 2:30AM wake-up call, and a six-hour journey on a public bus led us to our destination: The 2013 National Entrepreneurship Competition held in Managua, the capital city of Nicaragua. There we met the other 11 teams from different departments in Nicaragua who also qualified to participate in the conference and competition. 

The days leading up to the competition day were filled to the brim with keynote speakers, concurrent sessions, and other conference-like activities in which high school students, university students, and business owners alike absorbed a wealth of information about the entrepreneurship environment in Nicaragua compared to that of the United States and Japan, tips to finance a business, controlling personal finances, creative and cost-effective marketing, the importance of communication, and how to sell a business in 60 seconds.  

As is custom to save the best for last, the competition was held on the final day of the conference. The high school students presented their products to the public (which consisted mostly of teachers, principals, and Peace Corps volunteers), and each team defended their business plan with a 10-minute presentation and Q&A from the judges. What were this year's innovative products, you wonder? In no particular order:

1. Physics models meant to be used as teaching material for physics class

2. Ceramic coffee mugs that change color according to the temperature of the liquid inside

3. A fantasy novel written by one of the students

4. Facewash made out of natural materials

5. Bottled fruit honey

6. Protein drink mix made out of soybeans and flavored with the traditional Nicaraguan drink called "pinolillo," a corn and cacao mixture

7. Metal lubricant made from cashews

8. An alternative to firewood made from recycled newspaper and water

9. Biogas - an alternative to the gas tanks everybody uses to heat their stoves

10. Anti-cellulite soap made with coffee, orange rind, and other ingredients

11. Hand-sanitizer

12. Water-based paint for interior walls made with a red and white rock. 

Team PintuMax presenting their water-based paint.

Magical coffee mugs

Protein drink mix made from soybeans, corn, and cacao. The winning product!

Firewood alternative

Metal lubricant made from cashews - 3rd place winner

First place trophy

All of the student participants with their teachers and Peace Corps volunteers

This competition marks the end of the 2013 school year here and the next thing on all of the students' minds are their graduation ceremonies coming up the first and second week of December. As for us teachers and volunteers, we have approximately two months to brainstorm ideas before next year's batch of entrepreneurs comes our way.