Success Stories

Developing countries where the Walleighs have lived or visited have entrepreneurial spirit just as developed countries do. These entrepreneurs have many more challenges to face in their small businesses, in urban areas and especially in rural regions. TechnoServe is helping farmers become entrepreneurs in operating as cash-crop businesses and not just relying on subsistence living. Sometimes TechnoServe works with agricultural processors (e.g., grain mills) to enable hundreds of smallholder farmers to efficiently process their crops. Sometimes it links cooperatives to markets. And TechnoServe is definitely assisting urban entrepreneurs to expand their horizons. It is this entrepreneurial spirit in Africa and Latin America that is the foundation for hope and excitement for the future.

Peru Successes: Clarita’s Mix Built New Mill

Peru Successes: Clarita’s Mix Built New Mill

Clarita’s Mix, a cereal mill owned by a farmers’ cooperative is in the San Marcos area about 45 minutes outside of Cajamarca, Peru.  The original co-op was started years earlier by Caritas (an international NGO) to mill, package and sell barley, wheat and quinoa...

Nicaragua Successes: Collaboration for Dairy Cows

Nicaragua Successes: Collaboration for Dairy Cows

In May 2008, Rick and Wendy visited the TechnoServe-Nicaragua office where they learned about the Dairy Program operated in collaboration with CARE and UNAN Leon (Universidad Nacional de Autonoma aka National University of Independence, in Leon, Nicaragua). CARE was...

Kenya Successes: Aspen Orchards & Dairies

Kenya Successes: Aspen Orchards & Dairies

Wendy and Rick met with this participant who was definitely making progress in TechnoServe's Upscaling program. Starting in 2003 in his home, Joseph Njer’s growth-oriented yoghurt processing business by 2007 was on a US$170,000 run-rate for annual turnover.  The...