Lester Gonzalez is baker in the town of Diriomo. He is recognized by our coaches as one of the hardest working members of the Bless Back Business Academy. Lester, like most small business owners in Nicaragua, struggled to increase his business. The biggest obstacle Lester faced was that he had to rent his wood stove.
Homero Castillo is one of our first Business Academy members and there is a distinct difference between his business and many others. I believe this contrast lies in collaborative effort of Homero and his wife Olga, who work side by side daily. This is not the norm for small community businesses where we most often
What’s your “Health Literacy”? It’s the understanding you use whenever you have a new ache or pain. You take what you know about anatomy, add information you glean from doctors and other sources, follow the instructions on medicine bottles, then pursue a wise course of action. The population in vulnerable places like Haiti is often
The Bless Back Business Academy was founded in June 2015 to fill a knowledge gap for small businesses in Nicaragua, the 2nd poorest country in the Western Hemisphere (Reference Link).Small businesses and cottage industries are key economic drivers in small towns throughout Nicaragua, however, the owners have little to no business training and, as a
Did you know that Bless Back has its own customized Electronic Medical Records system? We’ve been on the cutting edge of medicine in Haiti and Nicaragua since 2014 when we established the use of digitized medical charts. In most developing countries, medical records are a low priority, but any good doctor will tell you that
Caleb and Johanna Mercardo, owners of Salon Caleb, are a dynamic duo with big dreams for their business. On a typical Saturday, they provide haircuts, manicures and pedicures to over 40 customers.Caleb and Johanna are active participants in our Business Academy. We have coached them closely to help them achieve their dreams. The renovation of
Many small businesses in Nicaragua operate in isolation, unaware of how other enterprises in the community function. To fill the communication gap, the Bless Back Business Academy created a business association platform for our business clients. All our clients are encouraged to join and participate in monthly association meetings. A typical monthly meeting consists of
Nine months after the launch of the Bless Back Business Academy, a Business Academy Fund was created to help finance the growth of participating business clients in Nicaragua. Most of the businesses are too small to receive bank loans; their only option is to use private lenders (loan sharks) who provide short term loans with
4th Annual Bless Back Worldwide Chili Cook-off Come join us and enter your best chili in the competition or just to enjoy unlimited chili samples. Then cast your vote to crown a winner in categories like “Best Overall”, “Tongue Burner” and “Most Creative”. The winner’s will receive a cash prize!! Enjoy live music, raffles
Dear Friends, On one of my first trips to Haiti, my team was offering a relief clinic in a remote area in the mountains. Dust, exhaust and smoke filled my nose and mouth as our bus jolted along the “road” to our destination. We arrived at a complex of dilapidated cinderblock buildings and my eyes
