The third CABEI-SOLIDARIOS awards were presented to Latin American micro-entrepreneurs
This year's winners were 18 entrepreneurs and one microfinance institution
Santo Domingo, December 14th, 2023 - For the third consecutive year, the Central American Bank for Economic Integration (CABEI), through the CABEI Social Support Foundation, and the SOLIDARIOS Council of American Development Foundations awarded the CABEI-SOLIDARIOS Microenterprise Awards, aimed at highlighting and valuing the performance and creativity of businesses and the inspiring life stories of microenterprise entrepreneurs in the Latin American region during 2023.
In a very emotional ceremony attended by the Vice President of the Dominican Republic, Raquel Peña, CABEI Executive Director for the Dominican Republic, Hostos Rizik, the President of Solidarios, Juan Francisco Banegas, and the Mayor of the National District, Carolina Mejía, 18 entrepreneurs were honored out of 200 nominees, who stood out for their innovative, resilient and impactful initiatives.
Hostos Rizik Lugo, CABEI Director for the Dominican Republic, reiterated that this initiative seeks to promote and foster microenterprise activity in various sectors of the economy and encourage the inclusive participation of the private sector in comprehensive social and economic development efforts in the region.
Some of the awards granted:
- “Grand Prize in the Regional Microenterprise of the Year category'' to Margarita Araujo de Cáceres and her company Bodega Don Cáceres.
- “Young Entrepreneur" to Yerizon Minier Sanchez and his company Yeico Coaching Center.
- "Woman Entrepreneur" to Greicy Campos Jimenez with Arte en Lilas
- "Family Microenterprise" to Elna Garcia with Dominican Handicrafts
- "Educational Microenterprise" to Xiomara Elizabeth Morales Diaz with Zohar Beauty Academy.
- "Tourist Trade and/or Handicraft Production" to Claudia Mercedes Larios Pérez with Productos Orgánicos Artesanales Mía CM and Cestería CM Plásticos Reciclados.
- "Agricultural Development" to Native Paredes Frias with his Cacao Farm
- "Innovative Production, Commerce or Services" to Rosanny Castillo Hilario with D ́ la Tía Dulce.
The winning entrepreneurs are from the Dominican Republic, Guatemala and Honduras, and are backed by different financial institutions such as Banfondesa, Banco ADOPEM, the Dominican Development Foundation (FDD), Banco Múltiple Ademi, S.A., CoopAspire, ALNAP, CoopEclof and CoopAspire, and from abroad IDH Microfinanciera in Honduras and the International Foundation for Community Assistance of Guatemala - FIACG.
CABEI - Solidarios aims to train, recognize and reward microenterprise entrepreneurs who have stood out and have been a reference in their communities, in addition to encouraging financial institutions to motivate and promote sustainable enterprises, thus achieving continuous progress and productive development in the region.
