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Photo by: Isaac Persaud

Nearly 1,000 kilometres west off the coast of Ecuador lie the Galápagos Islands, an archipelago filled with stunning landscapes, endemic species, and unique culture. Naveducando Fundación Civil, a collective of organizations, began its work in 2018 to build on the goals of the Galápagos Islands population: a stronger economy through community-based initiatives.

During a two-week assignment, Catalyste+ Advisor Isaac Persaud worked with Noémi d’Ozouville, President of Naveducando Fundación Civil. Together, they supported grassroots local NGOs and women-led or women-equity enterprises by strengthening their business and strategic planning skills.

Women in Ecuador face systemic challenges when it comes to starting and operating businesses, such as accessing resources and lacking the confidence to push ideas forward. However, Noémi, notices a common theme: all of the women approach their work with compassion and empathy, making it easier for them to learn the hard skills.

“In a time of change and reestablishing coherence and shared sense of purpose … there’s a reward that’s beyond the finance and [business] benefits. It’s about creating that sense of community,” says Noémi.

As part of Catalyste+’s Accelerating Women’s Empowerment program, this assignment prioritizes gender equality and women’s economic empowerment. Across four organizations—Education 4 Nature Galápagos, El Mangle Agile Learning Center, Mycellium Co-working Space, and Frente Insular of the Galápagos Marine Reserve—over half of the staff and managers are women.