The members of Fabretto cooperatives have been busy lately, learning and improving! Through a series of exchanges with cooperatives throughout Nicaragua, entrepreneurs from the San Isidro student coop and the Nica HOPE jewelry coop learned strategies to improve their business practices and be inspired by successful businesses in action.

During a visit to Fe en Marcha, a cooperative in nearby Tipitapa that offers small loans to entrepreneurs, the Fabretto cooperatives learned about their streamlined system of loans and monthly dues. In return, the Fabretto members shared their own experiences exporting jewelry to foreign markets and creating profitable chicken-raising businesses.

In September, the two cooperatives met with the Cusmapa student cooperative up north in San José de Cusmapa. Each group presented products, business models, and general tips and tricks. In addition, visits to the very successful Cusmapa Women’s Basket Cooperative and Montón de Anicos, a group that creates and sells artisan products from recycled glass, inspired the Managua cooperative members with positive role models and vision for future progress.

Through these exchange trips, Fabretto exposes members to the great possibilities of cooperatives and inspires continuous improvement.