Page 16 - Corporate Responsibility Report 2018

14 2018 Corporate Responsibility Report
Juanita Meza (2nd from right) with members of GTE Social team Karen Viviana Suarez and Berenice Barragán, as well as Alfonso Carreño from Consolidad, an organization that provides
technical expertise to the program and its participants.
3. DELISAM
Juanita Meza is a single mother with three daughters aged 6 to 18 who are all involved in the family’s food business. The business turned two years old in December 2018 and is officially incorporated. She now employs two staff beyond her family and is selling hundreds of hamburgers and kilograms of pork products every week.
“When I heard about the program, I joined thinking I would just do one course. But then I saw the opportunity to strengthen my business and go further in life, so I continued with the program and ended up taking 13 classes. It’s been a pleasure getting to know these marvellous people from Consolidad and Gran Tierra who have supported my efforts to succeed in life.” – Juanita Meza, Founder, DELISAM, San Martín
4. BHG Porcícola
The youngest of three brothers, Byron Hernández, worked as an environmental engineer in the oil industry for several years, but he was intrigued by farming, which his father and grandfather both did. He formed an association with 36 other local pork farmers to find operational efficiencies, such as growing their own food for the pigs. This would save a huge amount of money and would direct capital to local farmers rather than to outside food producers.
“In farming I saw something that really appealed to me, and something that I can do and which would last. The support of Gran Tierra has been essential in the development of our business.” – Byron Hernández, entrepreneur, BHG Porcícola
Entrepreneur Byron Hernández and Emprender Paga technical advisor Freddy Omár Martínez