Business Simulation in Chiquian

We had our field based training in week 6 (July 14th-July 22nd). My group, the business volunteers, left from Lima at about 11pm on a Saturday night, switched from bus to combi on an overpass just outside of Huaraz at 5am and at 16,000 feet above sea level, and then we serpentined down a mountain side on a road about 1 ½ the width of our combi until we reached the town of Chiquian. Chiquian has about a population of 5,000 and rests at 13,000 feet, and sits in bowl of mountains. When I got there and the sun finally rose up and exposed the surroundings of Chiquian my initial thoughts were that this is what I was waiting to see. I had only ventured around Chaclacayo and Lima prior to this, but both of these cities were urban and did not give me a taste of the geographical beauty of Peru. Green hills and valleys, snow capped mountains, and a couple waterfalls hidden from the common tourist. A group of us volunteers went on a 2 hour hike to one of these waterfalls, which included shimmying across a ledge that had only enough surface area for your feet and a drop off that would result in a severe injury or death :-D . One volunteer did not make it to some of the more severe parts of the hike due to altitude sickness. I had felt the shortness of breath due the elevation when I had first gotten off the combi and a couple hours following that, but it was not overwhelming to me but I’m sure it would have been a struggle if I had decided to go for a jog.
Also in Chiquian was the local technical and computation institute. Our assignment at the institute was to conduct a business simulation workshop, we separated into 5 groups of about 4 volunteers and each group taught a 3 day class of 15 to 20 students about basic business principles (intro to microbusiness, market studies, accounting, feasibility studies, customer service, etc.) and then we had the students separate into 13 groups out of a total of 85 students, create a business plan explaining an idea they had for a 2 day business and the costs and projected profits that it entailed, and then we had them present it to receive a loan of up to 100 soles with a 2% interest rate. They then setup their small businesses throughout Chiquian and sold off their products and services to the people of Chiquian. There was a variety of food businesses (papas rellenos, tamales, cuye, picarones which is like a cinnamon ring dipped in honey, yogurt, and more), programs for the computer, a breakfast delivery service, and our biggest hit which was Bingo in the plaza. All of the businesses earned a profit, the classes went better than I think any of us expected, some already motivated students probably gained a little know how in starting a business, and some of the timid students gained a little confidence in themselves and came out of their shells. Although we had a few struggles with classroom management after lunchtime, the well-detailed groups’ presentations wrapping up their results and the positive response and many thanks given by the students showed that the business simulation was a complete success. You obviously have to be realistic in your expectations of what a 3 day class can teach but I feel confident that we all got something valuable out of it. Actually the breakfast delivery group had already received future orders for the next week right before we left. There was a strong interest from the public and definately seemed liked it was gonna keep going. The yogurt group had actually won a contest a year before for best yogurt, and they sold out of their yogurt in 45 minutes during our simulation. They planned on to keep selling yogurt. The simulation wasn't about getting them to start a career business right there but to teach them basic concepts in running a business, and showing them how its not a business, its a culmination of simplifying and perfecting all the little components that make up a business. Some of the students I felt had the charisma and motivation to be successful entrepreneurs, they just needed some knowledge. While others might not end up being business owners but at least gained some confidence in themselves to focus on something and accomplish it. Discussing trading with other towns was not something we had time for and would not be pertinent in terms of logistics since Chiquian is fairly isolated and not easy to get to from the outside. I'm not sure if they will have another Bingo night, but two other volunteers and I are having a bingo night in my community in Chaclacayo in a couple weekends to raise funds for the community and have gotten the approval of the community leaders for the event and they are all excited.