As we reflect on the important milestones we accomplished in 2019, we want to thank all of our supporters who make these life changing initiatives possible. We couldn’t have done any of it without you! With 2020 around the corner, we ask for your support once again so SPI can continue to elevate women and other marginalized entrepreneurs globally. If you make a gift by January 10th, your donation will be matched!
Highlights from 2019
Your support has changed the lives of hundreds of struggling artists and entrepreneurs, and preserved cultural heritage around the world. Just a handful of achievements SPI accomplished in 2019 are...
Celebrating SPI's growing success in Tanzania! The women of SPI's WAUTO project in Kaole saw exponential sales growth in 2019. Along with selling hand-made sustainable products, the women behind WAUTO also serve a local delicacy of sea-snail soup - a favorite with site visitors and even our ED Larry!
Welcoming Jit to our Board! We are thrilled to welcome Jit Bhattacharya to the SPI Board. Jit is an entrepreneur and investor working closely with companies developing innovative business models for energy access, financial inclusion, and climate change resilience in sub-Saharan Africa. A huge asset for our planned Tanzania and East Africa expansion.
Launching the SPI Business School in Peru. After the successful launch of ESCALA, SPI is planning on tripling our business school program in Peru and kicking-off the program in Tanzania. We expect to graduate more than 200 women and other marginalized entrepreneurs.
Record breaking sales for SPI artisans across the board. At the semi-annual Ruraq Maki craft fairs in Peru, artisans from our Cajamarca and Ollantaytambo projects sold over $16,000 of products during those two weeks alone!
Record sales also for the SISAN women’s cooperative at Pachacamac, whose compounded annual growth rate In their fifth year continues to hover around 50% as their sales approaches $50,000 annually. All three of our Bicitour programs (Pachacamac, Chan Chan, Tucume) also had record years.
Happy New Year!
Our goal for 2020: empower women and others, through entrepreneurship and business training across the globe. That's also the best way to preserve the past. Please continue your support of SPI in the New Year to help us accomplish this goal. Your donation will be matched if you give by January 10, 2020. Best wishes,
Larry Coben
Sustainable Preservation Initiative
Tax ID 27-2704326
Contributions may be made online here. Checks may be sent to:
40 West 22nd Street 11th Floor
New York, NY 10010