The Coordinadora Paz para las Mujeres (CPM) is promoting entrepreneurship among young women in Puerto Rico’s rural communities through the Mountain Women Entrepreneurs Market. This annual event brings together around 40 rural women entrepreneurs and provides them with tools and assistance to establish and manage their small businesses. Alana Feldman, a coordination specialist at CPM’s Centro Paz para Ti, said the services are open to all women interested in developing a small business or starting a product or service to generate income.
The program primarily serves women entrepreneurs in the western region, particularly in Lares and Adjuntas, where employment and income-generating opportunities are limited. Participants receive training in areas such as marketing, online sales, sewing, and agroecological techniques, while also promoting solidarity and mutual support among participants. The CPM focuses on supporting women who are victims of gender-based violence, but its services are open to all women.
The Mountain Women Entrepreneurs Market aims to foster growth and economic independence among rural women entrepreneurs.