(ANS – Esmeraldas) – In a joint effort to promote the integral development and economic autonomy of women in the region, the Salesian Costa Norte Project Foundation, in collaboration with the Mary Help of Christians Formation Centre (CEFORMAX) and the St John Bosco Community of Esmeraldas, has officially launched a new project aimed at strengthening women’s skills, leadership and entrepreneurship. This initiative, with the direct participation of the Province and the del Valle Foundation, is positioned as a significant opportunity to accompany women entrepreneurs and those in vulnerable situations, with formation programmes, accompaniment and the creation of real opportunities for improving their living conditions.
The process began with a ‘Women Entrepreneurs Project Start-up Workshop’, which took place on Tuesday 2 and Wednesday 3 December 2025 at the ‘Maria Ausiliatrice’ Educational Unit in Esmeraldas. During these days, the basic framework of the project, the administrative guidelines, the available budget, the coordination model and the implementation path were presented.
Representatives of the Costa Norte Salesian Project Foundation and CEFORMAX, together with delegates from the Province’s Planning and Development Office, actively participated in the dialogue and planning sessions. Their presence demonstrates the institutional commitment to promote processes that generate social impact, especially in contexts where women face limitations in accessing technical training, economic resources and support and development networks.
With the first formation workshops already successfully completed, the foundations are now being laid for the development of the project at the local level, at the centres of Santa Martha II, Instancia San Lorenzo, and Esmeraldas-CEFORMAX. This expansion will make it possible to reach more beneficiaries, promoting spaces fpr technical skills, leadership, personal development and basic finance, and will develop the participants’ skills by providing them with tools to start small businesses with sustainability and vision for the future.
The launch of this project represents a firm commitment on the Salesian side to women’s empowerment and social inclusion. Through inter-institutional articulation, the Costa Norte Salesian Project Foundation and its allies seek to generate opportunities that transform the lives of entrepreneurial and vulnerable women, providing them with the tools to build solid life projects, contribute to the local economy and strengthen the social fabric of communities.
In addition, an agreement was signed between the Pichincha Chamber of Crafts and the Costa Norte Salesian Project Foundation for the official recognition of courses taught by CEFORMAX. This agreement expands the territorial reach of the project and guarantees formation courses and a women’s empowerment programme that provide tools to improve the autonomy and economic opportunities of Ecuadorian women.
Andrea Altafuya Marcillo
Source: Salesianos.org.ec
ANS – “Agenzia iNfo Salesiana” is a on-line almost daily publication, the communication agency of the Salesian Congregation enrolled in the Press Register of the Tibunal of Rome as n 153/2007.
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