Lamberti Acelera - Final Act

As reported in July story “Lamberti Acelera: updates and next steps”, this project, in partnership with Brazilian NGO Aventura de Construir,  took place in Nova Odessa, SP and  is part of a series of 3 projects whose purpose is to provide business opportunity to women and underprivileged communities. Together with “She Dares” and “We Dare”, shows Lamberti's strong commitment towards SDG 5 - Gender Equality.

Initially the project's focus was providing support to women with children out of a job and without an income due to the Covid 19 pandemic. In this situation and thanks to a specific training they were able to start their own business. 

Lamberti Transforma I, Women Empowerment,  reported:

• 50 microentrepreneurs involved 
• 276 total presences at lectures
• 194 total participations in tutoring/consultancy sessions
• 48% increase in the financial management indexes

 

Lamberti Transforma II, developing equal territories

Lamberti Transforma II project was opened to men and to the previous participants who had a crucial role as a point of reference for the new ones. This made the results of this project's phase even more impactful. 
The project was devoleped in accordance with the UN Sustaniable Developments Goals 1, 4, 5, 8, 10 and 17. The main purpose was to enhance the already established links with the local communities and to expand to other local micro-entrepreneurs the training on financial education and business management. These are the main highlights of this phase:

• 50 microentrepreneurs involved
• 695 total presences at lectures
• 368 total participations in tutoring/consultancy sessions
• 78% increase in the average profit of participants

Lamberti Acelera, consolidating results

Lamberti Acelera project took place in 2023 and aimed at promoting and enhancing the businesses of the Lamberti Transforma I and II projects. 

Lamberti Acelera was managed mainly by female entrepreneurs who are, at the same time, key players and promoters of the project. The objective was to test the scalability of the businesses through technological improvementys, e-commerce and the grant of the seed capital.
The final aim was to have a significant impact on both the lives and the businesses of the microentrepreneurs involved.

Creating the conditions for entrepreneurs to export their products has been a crucial point of the project.
It became possible thanks to the preparation of a detailed Business Plan through which the particpants developed their business idea, measured the progresses and got support from customers as well as potential sponsors.  

Seed Capital Awards

From July to September, participants were trained and supported in defining their Business Plan.  

In October, an independent evaluation commission, made of highly qualified volunteers,  was established, to evaluate and award the 3 best Business Plans with a Seed Capital. 

This stage of the project had great participation and engagement:

• 206 total presences at lectures
• 87,82% average presence
• 222 tutoring/consultancy sessions provided during the projects

The three winning projects were:

• Mundo Negro Moda Afro by Ligia Marta
• Ateliê Van Loureiro by Van Loureiro
• Cutelaria Pinheiro by Vagner Pinheiro 

A special mention goes to Heloisa Kalvan, who declined the award in favor of her colleagues.

Project Reflections and Future Horizons

As we wrap up the 2023 Lamberti Acelera project, it is clear that there's the need for additional steps to strengthen the microentrepreneur business culture. This involves, for instance, delving deeper into the marketing content of Business Plans and enhancing the decision-making process to implement the identified actions. Working with Seed Capital certainly contributes to improving the quality of participants' involvement and sets the stage for impactful transformations.

Looking at initiatives like this,is evident the importance of consolidating fundraising efforts and building partnerships with other investors, universities and institutions. This approach is crucial for ensuring the long-term sustainability of the projects, including the expansion of the operational area and the involvement of other local companies.

In this context, the Lamberti community, including its employees, customers, suppliers and partners, plays a key role in generating a greater impact on the ecosystem of low-income and highly vulnerable microentrepreneurs.