Aggie
International
Entrepreneurs
Academy for Future International Leaders – International Leadership
Project 2010-2011 - Microloan Distribution in Comayagua, Honduras
Overview
 Aggie
International Entrepreneurs is a
micro-finance pilot project launching in
the city of Comayagua, Honduras.
 Basics:
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2 weeks volunteer work
4 week business course implementation
Credit-bearing (in progress)
Launching: Spring 2012 (course) & Summer
2012 (project implementation)
Microloan of 20 000 lempiras (c. 1000USD)
per group of 4 entrepreneurs working
together in the same industry
Mission Statement

To pilot a project
that will build
entrepreneurial
capacity in a
severely
underprivileged
area, specifically the
Honduran city of
Comayagua, via
micro lending and
business education.
Key Partners
In Honduras:
Horizontes al Futuro
CENET
At TAMU:
Mays Business School
Department of
International Studies
Study Abroad Office
AFIL
 Works
skills and
rehabilitation center
for ‘at-risk’ Hondurans

Skills training
 Lack
resources to
help their skills
program graduates
pursue a business
Horizontes al
Futuro
Business Course
 Designed
manual



a
About 50%
Complete
Basic business
principles
Written in basiclevel Spanish
 Difficulty:


keeping in tune with
the level of
education of the
Comayaguan
micro-entrepreneurs
Lack of support from
CENET in helping us
complete the course
as initially thought
Credit-Bearing Designation
 Intention:
to facilitate recruitment of
students and enable them to apply
semester financial aid to their involvement
in the project.
 Tool that will aid in sustainability
 Spring 2012 course
 Hurdle: TAMU “red tape”
Student Participants
Looking for about 8 students – 2 groups of 4 for direct
mentoring
Student Conditions for qualification are as follows:


Must be upper-level
Must be an Accounting, Finance, Management, Marketing, or
International Studies (emphasis in Commerce) major
 Better if they are receiving from Mays Business School a(n):
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International Business Studies certificate
Latin American Business certificate
Entrepreneurial Leadership certificate
Must have a 3.0 GPR or higher
Must have a working level of conversational Spanish
Must attend all required training events and meetings
Must complete their fundraising before project implementation
in Honduras
Difficulties Encountered
 Communication
with key partners in
Honduras
 Inability to travel
 Time management
 Department of International Studies is
being dissolved effective 2012

Loss of key partner
Revised Project
 Extending
experience length from 4
weeks to 6 weeks to allow for 2 weeks of
personal volunteering
 Credit – bearing experience

In progress ~ allowing for greater use of
financial aid and reduced cost
 Moving
implementation dates - delaying
Revised Timeline
November 2011
Complete obtaining approval for credit-bearing proposal and
place Aggie International Entrepreneurs on the curriculum.
December 2011
Have 8 students selected and registered through the study abroad
office.
Spring 2011
Complete course at Texas A&M
Summer I 2012
Implement project in Comayagua, Honduras
Projections for the Future

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Hopeful but expect several difficulties to arise,
particularly it making it credit-bearing
Partner with Global Business Brigade
(potential)
Implement in Spring 2012 and Summer 2012
Guide future AFIL group in taking up this
project

Susana will continue to attend TAMU and
remain the point of contact with Horizontes