ARTIKKEL
Local farmers are trained in growing the plants used for the production of cosmetics .
According to Semana ( a Colombian news magazine ), this company moves around USD 50,000 in sales per year and is based in the natural wealth of Mabel ’ s region , where fruits and seeds as the borojó , the asaí , the turmeric , and the axiote grow and , thanks to Selvaceútica , are now part of the best cosmetology , therapeutic and medicinal products in stores . The result of Mabel ’ s work is a growing network of most 600 local producers and aproximatelly 15 companies that link to and leverage each other to add value to natural resources , create sustainable products , and generate economic development in the region . Today , SELVACÉUTICA has 6 employees , 4 students and 12 professionals are also contributing through voluntary work .
Challenges Even if so much has been achieved , there are also challenges . In the line of biocosmetics , increase turnover , recruitment of suitable human talent , expand the production plant . It is also a challenge in the social community , to scale the model to increase
impact and expand to other geographical areas . In voluntary work , funding is always challenging . There is a fund , but the conditions and terms of reference to access it are somewhat complex . A very high percentage of calls do not include the differential approach and the special conditions of the territories . For the big picture , building trust for the damage that welfare processes have generated is demanding .
Benefit realisation As project managers , we know how difficult it can be to measure the outcome of projects . And the outcome might not be measurable before years after we have left the project . In this case they can tell a lot of stories that shows benefits from their efforts : For example , BIOINNOVA works with female heads of families displaced by violence , who formed a productive unit called Las Mesmas , which make soaps from recycled cooking oil . In the group , there are mothers who cannot read or write , and the youngest is approximately 55 years old . Ernestina Córdoba is one of the members .
PROSJEKTLEDELSE • NR . 1 2024 39