Chile advances local entrepreneurship with FOSIS aid and inclusive store project

Through the FOSIS "Emprendamos Grupal" program, 25 entrepreneurs from the Feria Palafitos artisans’ association in Puerto Aysén received computers, printers, furniture and training in digital marketing, accounting and customer service. Regional officials, including the Aysén governor and the Ministry of Social Development, attended the closing ceremony and highlighted the program’s aim to boost income and economic autonomy for local families.

In Iquique, a collaborative effort between the Regional Development Corporation, Fundación Collahuasi, the community design lab “Barquito de Papel” and local vendor “Tiempo de Té" is launching the first inclusive shop staffed by ten adults with intellectual disabilities. The store, equipped with ergonomic fixtures and a dedicated exhibition space, seeks to create meaningful employment and promote social cohesion, with an opening planned for June.