Introducing the first cohort of Everyone's Business programme!
Meet the 11 social enterprises contributing to a more inclusive, sustainable, and hopeful Sweden.
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70%
Creates dignified livelihood opportunities in Colombia by combining forest conservation with fair, community-led timber production.
The Serranía de San Lucas is a one of Colombia’s most biodiverse, but for years, illegal mining and deforestation have taken a toll, and many families have been forced to leave their homes.
30%
Location
Segovia, Antioquia, Colombia
Programme
South America Accelerator Programme
in partnership with NESsT
Segovia, Antioquia, Colombia
Programme
South America Accelerator Programme
in partnership with NESsT
People in the region face tough challenges, from environmental damage to the presence of armed groups and a lack of support. Earning a safe and honest living from the forest is often out of reach.
In 2021, 33 campesino families came together to create Ecoserranía with the goal to find a better way forward for their community and their forests. As a nonprofit association, Ecoserranía is showing how people can work together to protect nature, earn a fair income, and build something lasting.
The association now manages 1,174 hectares of protected forest, where members use sustainable harvesting and monitoring methods to care for the land. The association buys timber directly from its members, handling everything from transport to delivery in Medellín. This way, families get paid sooner rather than waiting until the very end, as in most businesses.
Ecoserranía is opening new artisanal-to-industrial opportunities for its members, with formal contracts and wages nearly three times the minimum. In a place where illegal work is often the only option, this means steady, dignified jobs for local families.
Programme support
During the South America Accelerator Programme with NESsT, Ecoserranía plans to set up a centre where timber can be turned into new home products. This will support the association in growing and offering even more opportunities to the community.
We’ll also offer hands-on business support, supporting Ecoserranía to plan for the future, manage its finances, and reach new markets. With this help, Ecoserranía can bring more legally sourced timber to customers, strengthen its business, and make an even bigger difference for families and forest.
In 2021, 33 campesino families came together to create Ecoserranía with the goal to find a better way forward for their community and their forests. As a nonprofit association, Ecoserranía is showing how people can work together to protect nature, earn a fair income, and build something lasting.
The association now manages 1,174 hectares of protected forest, where members use sustainable harvesting and monitoring methods to care for the land. The association buys timber directly from its members, handling everything from transport to delivery in Medellín. This way, families get paid sooner rather than waiting until the very end, as in most businesses.
Ecoserranía is opening new artisanal-to-industrial opportunities for its members, with formal contracts and wages nearly three times the minimum. In a place where illegal work is often the only option, this means steady, dignified jobs for local families.
Programme support
During the South America Accelerator Programme with NESsT, Ecoserranía plans to set up a centre where timber can be turned into new home products. This will support the association in growing and offering even more opportunities to the community.
We’ll also offer hands-on business support, supporting Ecoserranía to plan for the future, manage its finances, and reach new markets. With this help, Ecoserranía can bring more legally sourced timber to customers, strengthen its business, and make an even bigger difference for families and forest.