Young men inside the Sendero detention center in El Salvador are preparing themselves for the day they leave the center. Eleven incarcerated youth completed an entrepreneurship course and presented their business plans to a team from Orphan Helpers.
“We didn’t need to convince these guys to participate. They all said they want a skill to support themselves on the outside and this course is giving them that opportunity,” said David, the Orphan Helpers teacher who led the youth through the class.
At the center, the young men have been learning a variety of trades, including poultry farming, beekeeping, barbering, and baking. To go along with the skills they’re developing, they also learned to put together a business plan so they will understand what it takes to earn a profit.
The poultry farming students presented their business plans outlining procedures for buying birds, maintaining the birds’ health and growth, making sales, and investing money in new inventory.
The beekeeping students presented business plans describing procedures for raising bees in a healthy environment, extracting and packaging honey for sale, managing money, and investing in the business.
Andy, who was once incarcerated and now starting his own catering business, attended the event with Orphan Helpers. He encouraged the youth to press forward.
“Keep going and do not give up,” Andy told the boys. “Our communities need a change. With the skills you are learning here, you can be that change for the glory of God.”