Social Enterprise Product Discovery with Peru's Indigenous Quechua

Website

www.teysha.is

What is your idea to link your passion to travel with a purpose?

My idea is to pursue a trip to work with the indigenous people of Peru on developing a social enterprise that empowers local indigenous populations by providing meaningful work and income to this often times disenfranchised group. The goal of the trip will be to discover and/or create a product or group of products inspired by the Peruvian indigenous culture and traditions. The product(s) will then be introduced in the U.S. marketplace. This trip will be primarily focused on initial discovery where I will conduct product research to discover products that may have a high potential for success in the U.S. and European marketplaces. My friends, Sophie Eckrich and Travis Breihan, have started a successful social enterprise that is supporting indigenous women in Panamá by utilizing their unique artwork to create one-of-a-kind shoes and other products. They are my primary inspiration for this trip and I plan on working very closely with them not only for their insights as well-traveled and socially conscious entrepreneurs but also for future social enterprise opportunities involving this project. Their advice and connections throughout Latin America will be crucial to the success of this trip and into the future. Winning this prize will cover all travel expenses to conduct this discovery phase. All other expenses for product development will be incurred by me with the ultimate goal of bringing sustainable economic growth and opportunity to these indigenous communities.

How does your idea create a positive impact on local communities?

This project will focus on bringing sustainable economic opportunity with socially conscious products inspired by traditional indigenous practices. Opportunities for meaningful and gainful employment are slim and hard to find for indigenous people in Peru, especially in the more remote regions. The indigenous people of Peru are expert craftsman; producing amazingly beautiful and functional products. The goal of this trip will be to harness these skills and provide opportunities for sustainable economic development that will in turn provide more opportunity for growth and advancement in the future. I appreciate you taking the time to hear about my trip idea. Please share this with your friends as well! ¡Saludos!

Where will your project idea take place?

: Indigenous regions of Peru

Discussion

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