BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION AND BUSINESS – IS THAT POSSIBLE? LET´S FIND OUT TOGETHER!

Fundação Grupo Boticário de Proteção à Natureza

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CREATING ECONOMIC VALUE TO FREE ENDANGERED AMAZONS AND ENGAGING THE LOCAL COMMUNITY IN CONSERVATION EFFORTS

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Posted by Vanessa Kanaan on 24-12-2016 - Last updated on 24-12-2016

The present project is part of a pioneer program established in 2010 to reintroduce vinaceous-breasted amazons (Amazona vinacea) in the Araucárias National Park. In 2014, Espaço Silvestre Institute created “Amigas dos Roxinhos”, a group of five women who participates in the employment and income generation project for the communities around the National Park. This project was implemented in order to generate economic value to free-living amazons while reducing some of the main threats, such as illegal poaching for sale, which led the species to extinction locally. Once engaged, local people became amazon protectors and information multipliers showing it is possible to aggregate socioeconomic development and conservation. "Amigas dos Roxinhos" is regulated as “Individual Micro-Entrepreneur” (a very simple enterprise organization allowed by the Brazilian legislation). They have been supervised for over 30 months and received training on issues such as entrepreneurship, handcraft and environmental conservation. The participants’ incomes have increased 62%, with a large capacity to increase their production, showing the effectiveness of the project and dedication of the group. Espaço Silvestre Institute believes that the group is ready to move foward and become independent. To do so, we need to do a market survey and provide commercial training to the participants; creating the opportunity for them to increase their sales, while donating a percentage of the group incomes to sponsor direct action for the conservation of the vinaceous-breasted amazon in the region. With your help, we will be able to take the next step.

Entrepreneur information, Professional experience and participant position

Amigas dos Roxinhos was formed by women who live in the surroundings of the Araucarias National Park surroundings and showed interest in participating in the project:

  • Jozelei Telles – treasurer, craftswoman responsible for designing products, training others and purchasing materials. Formerly she had already worked as a handcrafter, but she received training to work with patchwork. She is the only provider in her family.
  • Leda Titton - family farmer who joined the group to supplement her family’s income. With previous sewing knowledge, she received specific training on seam finish and patchwork, becoming responsible for sewing with machine donated to the group.
  • Iraci Aparecida Correa de Castro - House worker who is responsible for painting  the products. Her works complements her family´s income.
  • Zulmira Lanchet dos Santos - House worker, she received patchwork training and participates by manually sewing and patchworking. The group´s  secretary.
  • Gloria R. Cancelli - Family farmer, she received patchwork training participates by manually sewing and patchworking.

Enterprise information

Trade name: Amigas dos Roxinhos

Legal name: Iraci Aparecida Correia de Castro 94843040959, Micro entrepreneur Individual, headquartered at Avenida Antônio Cancelli, 284 Centro Passos Maia / SC, inscription with CNPJ 24.200.997 / 0001-91, state registration - 258.059.737

Mission

“Amigas dos Roxinhos” mission is to sell handcrafted products with quality and exclusivity while saving wildlife. We exist to create experiences where economic development and nature conservation come together.

Share capital

R$ 3.000,00 (three thousand reais) (879,76 €)

Fundraising

All the investments were made by the Espaço Silvestre Institute, through fundraising and direct sponsorship

Market analysis- Customers

Currently

  • People sensitive to the environmental crisis and those interested in wildlife, local communities, women related projects and nature in general.
  • The majority of current customers are middle class women, with higher degrees, from all regions of Brazil, who value handcrafted products and its added-value.
  • Recently other conservation projects, such as the Giant Armadillo (Brazil), Costal Monitoring (Brazil), Ibisring (Europe) ordered customized products, opening a new market to explore.

To be implemented

  • Biologist, birdwatchers, veterinarians, zoo technicians, animal keepers, pet shop workers and related professionals are potential customers.
  • Theme parks, zoos, protected areas, fairs and nature-related congresses, among others.
  • Expansion of the commercialization of products for national and international nature conservation projects.

Market analysis- Competition study

  • There are few companies exploring products with Brazilian wildlife as a theme, and in general they are not handmade or they do not transfer any donation to conservation projects.
  • In spite of the existence of different income generation projects, each one focuses on different product portfolios with regional reach, thus there is almost no market competition between them.
  • This is the only work and income generating project for local women implemented in the Araucárias National Park region.

Market analysis- Study of suppliers

Currently

  • Fabric stores are selected based on location and best prices, such as that suppliers may be changed accordingly to those parameters.
  • Some material were donated

To be implemented

  • In order to increase the value-added of the products, we will seek more sustainable alternatives using raw materials from industry wastes, locally made, ecofriendly fibers / materials, or recycled materials, as this would increase the ecological value of the product, strengthening the company principles of green economy.
  • Product improvement, for waste reduction and optimization of the raw materials use, aiming to save resources and lowering the costs of production and for the environment.

 

Marketing plan- Description of main products and services

  • T-shirts, aprons, bags, handbags, cases and key chains using Brazilian fauna and Endangered Species as theme. All products are handcrafted, using the techniques of patchwork, sewing and/or painting

Marketing plan -Price

Currently

  • Prices range from R$ 10.00 (2.93€) to R$ 40.00 (11.73€).
  • All gross income belongs to the group.

To be implemented

  • After the market analysis, search for new materials and reduction of production costs, a price readjustment is expected, increasing on average 20% per product, of which 10% would be destined to increase the group incomes, and 10% would be transfer to the Espaço Silvestre Institute for direct activities aiming the protection of the vinaceous-breasted amazons.

Marketing plan -Sales strategy

Currently

  • Labels identifying the products origins and the nature of the company are attached in each product, generating added-value by showing that the product and the company are part of a wildlife conservation project.
  • Continuous expansion and improvement in the products portfolios offered.
  • Products are constantly advertised on social networks, websites and general media.

To be implemented

  • A digital marketing action plan, using a mailing list of 50,000 users obtained through a partner company of the IES, creating emotional ties between potential customers and the Amigas dos Roxinhos, to increase online sale
  • Benchmarking survey and research of potentials outlets for products and other conservation projects that are also potential customers of products customized for their own cause.
  • Add an extra label with information of the species used in each product.

Marketing structure

Currently

  • The products are available for sale at virtual store and during events in the cities of Ponte Serrada and Passos Maia as well as at the Araucarias National Park. They are also sold  in national and international congresses where the project is presented by the Espaço Silvestre Institute and at local partner stores.

To be implemented

  • Creation of outlet for products sales, dissemination among other conservation projects (potential customers)
  • Give support so that Amigas dos Roxinhos can independently set up a booth at fairs and congresses to sell their products

Business Location

  • Sales occur virtually, through the address www.espacosilvestre.org.br/shop, or in person in booths set up at events in the Araucarias National Park, national and international congresses, and partner stores.

Operational plan

Layout or physical arrangement

Amigas dos Roxinhos is a group of five women, in which each one in charge of a production step. They work from home, which facilitates the logistics, and does not generate extra costs in the productive process. They hold a monthly meeting on their own, such as that the detailed are registered in meeting, and they make the accountability, and profits distribution. A monthly meeting is also held by Instituto Espaço Silvestre.

Operational processes

•             Jozelei Telles – Product design and raw materials purchase. Treasurer.

•             Leda Titton – Seam with machine.

•             Iraci Aparecida Correa de Castro – painting and responsible of the enterprise

•             Zulmira Lanchet dos Santos – Manual sewing and responsible for the meeting minutes.

•             Gloria R. Cancelli – Manual sewing of the products.

•             Espaço Silvestre Institute –products approval, sales planning and assistance, encouragement

Manpower need

  • Currently the project participants are able to increase production demand by up to 10 times. If there is a need for more manpower, there is a list of women interested in participating in the group and could be easily trained by the current participants.
  • The support of the Espaço Silvestre institute is necessary in order collaborate with planning, market surveying, commercial training and work supervision. We estimate two months of work for this professional.

Financial plan- Investments estimative

Pre-operational investments : R$ 6,200 (1,818.18 €)

  • R$ 3,000.00 (879,76 €) in workshops
  • two sewing workshops, one in partnership with the City Hall of Passos Maia and another with the Adelina Foundation;
  • A Conservation workshop provided by Espaco Silvestre Institute;
  • An entrepreneurship and association workshop in partnership with SEBRAE.

The funds were granted by Grupo Boticário Foundation as part of the Project of Reintroduction of the vinaceous-breasted amazon (Amazona vinacea), in the Araucarias National Park, SC.

  • R$ 1,700.00 (498.53 €) in handcrafting materials. The funds were raised through the virtual crowdfunding “Vaquinha virtual”.
  • R$ 1,500.00(439.88 €) for two sewing machines, received from a donor.

To be implemented

  • R$ 11,000.00 (3,225.80 €), of which:
  • R$ 5,000.00 (1,466.27€) - two months payment for a professional who will make the market and customers survey, sales management training and research of ecofriendly raw materials.
  • R$ 6,000.00 (1,759.53 €)- 12 months investment in digital marketing:
    • R$ 340.00 (99.70 €)- For website maintenance (annual value)
    • R $ 5,660.00 (1,659.82€)- for e-marketing payment (R$ 471.66 (138.31 €) / month)

Working Capital

After the initial investment and product development, 20% of each sale is saved in the collective account, which is the working capital to be used whenever additional investments are needed. The remaining revenue is used to pay the costs of the material and shared among the participants of the group. Currently the value of this saving cash is R $ 2,099.70 (615.74 €).

Estimate of the enterprise monthly income

Currently

  • The company income is on average R$ 1,500.00 / month (439.88 €)-.

To be implemented

  • With the implementation of the present strategy, we expect to achieve an average gross income of R$ 5,000.00/month (1,466.27 €) in one year.

Strategic evaluation- SWOT analysis:

S – Strengths

  • The Amigas dos roxinhos is trained, prepared and very united.  They have been working for a long time in harmony and are enthusiastic with the achieved results.

W – Weaknesses

  • The project depends mostly on the participants efforts, which is not guaranteed by the investments as work of the Espaço Silvestre Institute.

O – Opportunities

  • There is a marked increase for handcrafted and ecofriendly products. The fact that they are tied to a conservation project makes the products quite exclusive.
  • There is a new market opening with the begining of the public visitation of Araucarias National Park in October 2015, promoting the increasing of ecotourism in the region and possibilities for local sales increase.
  • The National Park region is limited in terms of economic alternatives, so the project is essential for the empowerment of these women and is becoming a reference to be followed in other regions in Brazil

T – Threats

  • The Espaço Silvestre Institute is supported by fundraising, grants and sponsorships, and in the absence of funds the project could be stopped and at the moment the expansion of the group still depends on the Institute.
  • The customers may have a negative response to the increase of the products price.

 Business Plan Evaluation

The business plan is feasible especially because the enterprise is already working for over two years, and despite the low budget invested, it has already shown a 62% increase in the income of the participants.

With the execution of the proposed business plan, it will be possible to win the loyalty of costumers sympathetic to the group and the cause of wildlife conservation. There is also a great potential to increase local and direct sales through the expansion of the local tourism with the opening of Araucarias National Park for the public.
The group had positive changes with the training investments and shows great potential for production and design of custom made products.

With the completion of these final steps, it will be possible for the group to work independently and to generate enough income to assist directly in the conservation of the vinaceous-breasted amazons, returning the investment made by the Espaço Silvestre Institute, thus contributing to their mission to be a part of experiences where economic development and nature conservation come together.

 

PHASE

ACTIVITY

EXECUTION

Phase 1

Selection of group participants

accomplished

Phase 2

Handcraft Training (sewing and patchwork)

accomplished

Phase 3

Visual Identity Development

accomplished

Phase 4

Associative Entrepreneurship Training

accomplished

Phase 5

Wildlife conservation training

accomplished

Phase 6

Development and improvement of products design

accomplished

Phase 7

Definition of the production steps and functions of each participant in the group

accomplished

Phase 8

Business formalization

accomplished

Phase 9

Webpage and  social networks development for sales

accomplished

Phase 10

Accomplishment of the new materials survey and waste reduction in the production process survey

1 month after investiment made

Phase 11

Accomplishment of the potential customers and outlet survey

2 months after investiment made

Phase 12

Order  and production management and sales tracking training

2 months after investiment made

Phase 13

Renewed products portfolio and adjusted prices

2 months after investiment made

Phase 14

Espaço Silvestre Institute supervision

12 following months after investment

Phase 15

e-marketing actions

12 following months after investment

Phase 16

Accomplishment of the Espaço Silvestre Institute actions formalization of the partnership to receive a percentage sales

In the end of the 12th month since the begging of the works.

Acknowledgment

The visibility obtained through the Challenge of the Innovatives Plataform is a great opportunity and recognition of this pioneer work showing that it is possible to invest in the economic, social and environmental development in a sustainable manner.

We would like to acknowledge with great appreciation the Grupo Fundação O Boticario de Proteção à Natureza for funding Espaço Silvestre institute's projects which allowed the activities of the employment and income generation project, allowing for the creation of the Amigas dos Roxinhos group. This project not only helps the vinaceous-breasted amazon, but also  provided a a complete life-shifting experience  for the women involved, making them an inspiration  to be followed by their communities.

  • Euro exchange rate : 1€ = R$3.41

Comments

  1. Desirèe Tavares Marei Desirèe Tavares Marei

    Lindo projeto !!!!!

    1. vanessakanaan vanessakanaan

      Muito obrigada Desirèe!!! Com sua ajuda poderemos ajudar cada vez mais pessoas e animais!

       

  2. Mariana Faria Corrêa Mariana Faria Corrêa

    Excelente projeto! Parabéns!