“I am loving teaching and mentoring in La Romana, Dominican Republic this semester. One young man that we have met, and whom we are excited to begin teaching, is named Jose. Jose is stuck as a wage worker at an empanada stand in a country that’s minimum wage equates to only $150 USD a month. However, being raised on a property with a bunch of fruit trees, he has experience making fruit juices. We are helping him start a business as a juice vendor selling home-made juices to local colmados (corner stores) and restaurants. Jose is so stoked to begin working with Mentors International and the USU SEED interns.
Yesterday he said, “I love meeting with you guys because you give me ideas I have never heard of, as well as forcing hidden ideas out of my own brain.”
I thought that it was really cool that he already can recognize his own progress after only three lessons. We now have a logo designed for his business and he is working towards a weekly savings plan so that he can buy a blender.
Jose is such a hard worker. Every time we meet with him, he pulls out his notebook full of questions and comments. Last week his homework was to talk to two potential customers within a couple of days to see if they would be interested in becoming clients of his new business. Jose went above and beyond and talked to almost twenty different stores and solidified six of them as clients. He is so eager to learn and loves what we are teaching him.” McKenna S. – USU SEED Intern Spring 2020
