PROJECT: Pymelibre, Colombia
ICT for small businesses could mean big progress for Colombia.

Isabel Acevedo Lopez: "Giving small and medium-sized Colombian businesses the technological tools they need to stay competitive."

Large corporations worldwide have long recognised the value of information and communication technology (ICT) in business development. In Colombia, major corporations already make extensive use of ICT, but what about small and medium-sized companies, or PyMES as they are known in Latin America? With smaller budgets, fewer employees and limited training resources, these companies are often unable to capitalise on the benefits of ICT solutions. Isabel Acevedo Lopez is seeking to change this through her company, Pymelibre.

With a university background in business administration and more than 25 years experience as a marketing advisor and manager for various companies, Isabel is no stranger to the business world. However, it wasn't until recently that she took an interest in ICT solutions. She explains, "In 2003, I began working as Marketing Manager for ParqueSoft, Latin America's largest technology cluster, which brings together more than 500 high-tech companies. When I learned that one of these firms developed open-source software, the idea of creating a business that could introduce ICT specifically to PyMES began to form."

Technically challenging

Following extensive research, Isabel identified several reasons why PyMES do not use ICT solutions: "In Colombia, internet connectivity is only around 12%, compared to 35 40% in other parts of Latin America. There is also a comparative lack of ICT skills among the working population and little awareness of the potential benefits of ICT. Finally, the high cost of owning software makes it difficult for small companies to invest in technology and encourages piracy."

Isabel and her business partner Yessica Perea Machado have developed a business model that promises to overcome some of these barriers by offering low-cost ICT solutions to smaller businesses. "Alternative, open-source software programmes have been available on the market for some time. It is possible to buy install cheaper ICT solutions, but to deploy the software effectively, you still need the right hardware and a support team to configure the equipment," explains Yessica. "Pymelibre will advise its customers on the benefits of ICT, install and configure all open-source software, and provide full training courses and ongoing customer support."

Solutions that could benefit customers include basic applications such as Accounting and Human Resources management tools, as well as specialized programmes like Client Relationship Management software, and website and e-commerce solutions.

Giving wings to a dream

Isabel and Yessica are confident that their business model will increase customer efficiency and reduce the use of pirated software, which runs at 80% in Colombia. Isabel says, "Colombia will have the opportunity to enter global markets in the coming years. To compete internationally, however, we need to be more technologically streetwise. I hope that Pymelibre can help improve the performance of businesses in Colombia and, eventually, in other Latin American countries. Our business strategy should also have a positive impact on the Colombian ICT services market: for each business that we assist, Pymelibre will need to employ around five new consultants."

"We're delighted to have been selected as finalists for the Cartier Women's Initiative Awards," says Isabel. "We're looking forward to refining our concept and making contact with other female entrepreneurs worldwide. This opportunity gives wings to our dreams!"

PROJECT: Zava Group, Colombia
Developing a range of healthy, low calorie foods to meet special dietary needs.

Paulina Avila: "Tasty, innovative products and a better quality of life for all"

For people with chronic illnesses such as diabetes, finding the right thing to eat can be a challenge. Many feel that they are condemned to a life of eating water and lettuce leaves. Faced with an array of tasteless, unappetizing products, some even jeopardise their health by eating the wrong kind of food.

Paulina Avila, a Colombian pharmaceutical chemist, decided to tackle this issue head on. After 20 successful years in the healthcare industry, Paulina was keen to change direction and spend less time on business travel and more time with her teenage sons. In 2003, along with her brother, Fernando, she founded the Zava Group to provide nutritious, tasty food products and educational assistance to people with special dietary needs across Latin America and the Caribbean. Creating a new company requires a huge amount of energy, but Paulina is convinced that it will be worth the effort if her products help people eat more healthily and enjoy a better quality of life.

"Over the course of my career in healthcare, I've seen diabetes take its toll on many people," says Paulina. "All too often, diabetics don't know what to eat or are reluctant to give up their favourite foods. I wanted to use my knowledge of product manufacturing, marketing and sales to create a company that would inspire others to eat well."

Taking the "junk" out of food

The number of diabetics is on the rise, mainly due to poor diet and lack of exercise. In 2000, there were an estimated 19 million people with diabetes in Latin America and the Caribbean and this figure is expected to reach 40 million by 2025.

While there are already several low calorie products on the market, most of them only offer a 25% reduction in calories. This is insufficient for people who suffer from diabetes or obesity or are at risk from cardiovascular problems. "By developing tasty, affordable, low calorie food products, we'(e providing these groups with more options. Hopefully that will get them hooked on healthy eating."

Zava Group is also developing an educational assistance programme to promote healthy eating and lifestyles. Paulina says, "A balanced diet combined with regular exercise can help people to control their chronic illnesses and live a full and active life."

Finding a natural sweetness

In 2006, Zava Group launched its first product, Zavasweet, a low calorie natural sweetener which Paulina calls "a diabetic's dream". Made from stevia, an herb which grows in Central and South America, Zavasweet has just one calorie per serving and no bitter aftertaste or side effects. The product is currently sold in five major supermarket and drug store chains in Colombia.

Paulina is now preparing to launch Zavasoy Quinuatti, a food supplement derived from quinoa and soy protein. This new product, which is rich in nine essential amino acids and omega 3, 6 and 9 vitamins, will provide a delicious low calorie liquid meal alternative.

In the future, Zava Group intends to develop its product range and expand its distribution network across Latin America and beyond.

Food for thought

Through her growing business, Paulina is committed to helping other women succeed. She recruited five low-income single mothers to run a sales programme and hopes to employ more in the future. She also plans to create local agricultural jobs by sourcing organic materials directly from Colombian farmers.

Paulina is confident that Zava Group has a bright future: "We believe that our products have great potential and we can't wait to share them with the world!"

PROJECT: Instituto de Implantes Cocleares, Panama
Cochlear implants for children and adults with severe to profound hearing loss.

Cynthia Guy: "Opening people's ears to the world of sound"

On the morning of April 16, 2006, Dr. Cynthia Guy woke up to find that her 84-year-old husband Stuart had suddenly become totally deaf. Months of strained communication and despair followed until Stuart received a cochlear implant. This surgically implanted electronic device stimulates the hearing nerve in the cochlea, giving people with severe to profound hearing loss a sense of sound and speech. Four months later, after a course of speech auditory rehabilitation, Stuart was able to hear and speak again. He can even enjoy music and speak to his children and grandchildren on the phone.

Cynthia realised then that her goal in life would be to share the incredible gift of hearing with others. In 2006, she founded the Instituto de Implantes Cocleares, SA (IICSA), the first registered cochlear implant provider in Panama. She says, "Our mission is to give the ability to hear, and therefore to live, to as many people as possible."

A winning attitude

A seasoned "medical entrepreneur", Cynthia knows what it takes to run a successful healthcare business. After completing her graduate medical training at Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri, she became Chief of Anesthesiology at the Missouri Baptist Hospital, overseeing a team of 42 medical staff. She then established the first independent pain centre in St. Louis. In 2001, she sold the centre to Washington University and retired.

Fortunately for the community of over 25,000 people in Panama who suffer from severe hearing loss, Cynthia decided to come out of retirement. Working around the clock, she has brought together a team of specialists dedicated to her cause. Her centre, which she calls a "beacon of hope", includes physicians, audiologists, speech therapists, social workers and clinical psychologists.

Cynthia has partnered with the Austrian cochlear implant designer, Medel, and is collaborating with the University of South Florida on hearing loss research. IICSA also enjoys the support of the City of Knowledge, an international complex for education, research and innovation based in Panama City.

High tech hearing

Unlike conventional hearing aids, which simply amplify sound, cochlear implants make it clearer. An electrode is implanted inside the ear, while an external box containing a microphone picks up sound signals, converts them from radio waves into electrical impulses and sends them directly to the auditory nerves. Patients who have received implants report that they significantly enhance their hearing and quality of life.

So far, IICSA has successfully carried out three cochlear implant operations, and plans to perform 18 more in 2008. There are already at least 60 patients on the waiting list. The difficulty lies in finding trained local doctors and funding for low-income patients, as the combined cost of an operation and rehabilitation is approximately 35,000 USD. "In a country where 40% of people live in poverty, money is a real challenge," she says. "But I'm more determined than ever to get the funding I need to help make peoples dreams come true."

Cynthia is passionate about her cause and confident that her efforts will pay off. "Being a female entrepreneur in a country where I haven't lived for 30 years isn't always easy. It's a whole new playing field for me. But I think this technology has huge promise and I really believe in my project!"