PorFin Update
-Cindy Greene, Vice President of Education
and
Training
Porvenir Financiero (PorFin) is Root
Capital's first formal initiative in
education and training. Executed in
partnership with Earth University in Costa
Rica, PorFin strengthens the financial
management and capabilities of rural
smallholder organizations and their members
in high-priority conservation areas of Mexico
and Central America through workshops and
advisory services.
In February, I had the opportunity to attend
PorFin's multi-day sessions in Costa Rica.
The meetings were held to evaluate PorFin's
results in 2007 and plan for 2008. It was a
delight to meet the range of PorFin's
stakeholders including PorFin staff, our
certified trainers, supporters from Earth
University, and most importantly,
representatives from the cooperatives
benefiting from the training.
As the new VP of Education and Training, I
had heard a lot about PorFin's success in its
first year. I knew there were 1,300
participants who completed 57 workshops, and
there had been significant positive feedback.
But how were things really going? I was
excited to meet the extended team and hear
about the workshops first-hand.
With great guidance from Project Director
Manel Modelo and his capable team, we
discussed current workshops and creative
project ideas. Trainers presented various
ways to make workshops more applicable to
participants' lives. One idea was to
incorporate into the curriculum financial
statements from participating co-ops, with
the belief that participants are more likely
to engage with course material if they see
direct relevance to their own organizations.
I was impressed that the trainers clearly
owned the challenge of making a difference in
the lives of the participants and their
organizations.
This common ownership by all stakeholders -
not just those giving the training but also
those receiving it - was inspiring, and it
will help ensure PorFin's continued success.
As we expand Root Capital's training program
to other countries and regions, we will look
for similarly committed partners. We will
also continue our relentless focus on impact.
Improved financial management of rural
producer associations is essential for access
to funding, and PorFin and Root Capital are
committed to ensuring tangible results.
