In the rural regions of Bolivia, many women work as small-scale farmers or in the informal trade sector. Their income is often low and irregular. Gaining additional qualifications in areas such as catering, baking or arts and crafts can open up an important new source of income for them. However, in remote areas there are hardly any opportunities for further training, particularly for women.
Kolping is filling this gap with practical short training courses. Here, the women acquire the necessary specialist knowledge to enable them to subsequently set up their own small businesses and secure a long-term income.
In the courses held between April and June alone, around 170 women in the Camiri, Pando and Tarija regions were given new career prospects and the chance to play an active role in shaping their own futures.
In the Tarija region, 61 participants undertook training at the Kolping House to become bakers and confectioners. Whether cakes, quiches, brioche, pita bread or fine pastries: the women learnt to produce a wide variety of baked goods and decorate them attractively. To ensure that these new skills could also generate an income of their own, the programme also covered pricing and cost calculation.
A second group of women undertook training in soap-making. The participants produced soaps, candles and washing powder, and practised the safe handling of the materials required for these tasks.
