Miriam Freeman

Location / Country: Bogota, Colombia
Organization: Compartamentos con Colombia

FREEMAN: "I went to Colombia in May of this year to start my internship at Compartamos con Colombia (CCC) with lots of excitement and few expectations. I had visited Colombia for the first time in March on a Fletcher Latin America Group (FLAG) trek, and was left with a taste of how special the country was, but wanting to know more. Six months later, I can say Colombia surpassed every expectation, and my internship at CCC proved an incredible opportunity for personal and professional growth.”

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Compartamos con Colombia

“Compartamos has a unique model—leveraging private sector expertise to solve social sector challenges. What makes it different from other market-based approaches is its multi-firm arrangement. The organization was founded as the corporate social responsibility (CSR) strategy of fifteen companies in Colombia (many of them multinational) with expertise in strategy, finance, law, and other professional services. Volunteers from these firms work as consultants on a pro-bono basis on specific projects for the Colombian social sector. The role of CCC is to connect the nonprofit and private sectors, adding value through strategic analysis and producing the final consulting deliverables. Compartamos’ projects fall into three categories: capacity building (its core), shared value, and social innovation. “

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The Experience

“Compartamos has an ongoing presence in Quibdó through partnerships with organizations like ACDI/VOCA and Fundación MIMA, as well as the Detonante entrepreneurship festival now in its third year. Quibdó is one of the rainiest places in the world and the poorest city in Colombia by some measures. Projects ground to a halt earlier this summer when there was a general strike, citing government indifference, incomplete highways, lack of healthcare, and other public services. Illegal mining, corruption, and guerilla conflict have added fuel to the fire. A former slavery hub, it is no coincidence that the region has the largest afro-descent population in the country, and one of the largest indigenous populations. With 62% of residents living below the poverty line, several people told me that the region’s development indicators align more closely with sub-Saharan Africa than Latin America. I was grateful for the opportunity to see a different side of Colombia and contribute in some small way to the growing entrepreneurial movement there.

For all of the challenges they face, Chocoanos are resilient. The ACDI/VOCA project began in January and has included a series of workshops for the 28 entrepreneurs it supports on topics from accounting to peacebuilding. Along with two colleagues, I led a strategy workshop, combining a business canvas model with human-centered design techniques to encourage entrepreneurs to think outside the box and embrace new ideas for their businesses. These entrepreneurs understand clearly that what they are selling goes beyond jewelry, chocolate, or other products—they are selling the opportunity to change the region’s image nationally and internationally, by preserving local culture and traditions. To me, this is what market approaches to development are all about.”

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Conclusions

“My experience in Colombia surpassed every expectation. During my short time there, I worked with incredible colleagues, became familiar with a number of important local players, was introduced to the world of nonprofit consulting, and in some small way participated in important efforts to strengthen the social sector in Colombia. I surprised myself with my ability to apply finance and strategy skills acquired at Fletcher, and left inspired to learn more skills that I can apply to creating social change after graduation. After ten weeks, I feel I only touched the surface of all the country has to offer, and of the diverse challenges it faces. These are exciting times for Colombia, and I’m eager to see how things progress.”