I dream of opening a brick-and-mortar cafe that empowers climate refugees and prepares them for the American workforce.
To accomplish this, I have attended Pepperdine for the past year to get a Master of Arts in Social Entrepreneurship.
It's been challenging and rewarding, but I need to complete a "Global Immersion" internship with a social enterprise to complete the degree.
This is where you come in!
I recently accepted an offer to intern with Fundación Paraguaya's San Franciso School de Asís. In Paraguay, access to quality education is limited and expensive, resulting in a high school dropout rate of 60%. This radical high school teaches rural indigenous students how to work with the land, build their own businesses, and be financially independent.
I am headed to Paraguay from October 13 - 28 to learn as much as possible for my future social enterprise.
By contributing to this fundraiser, you'll support this Trans Latina in completing her higher education, help these Guaraní students benefit from a graduate intern, and set up the prospective refugee cafe for success.
The reason I am launching this fundraising campaign is two-fold. Part of our internship assignment is proving that we can raise capital since we will probably need to do so for our enterprises in the future.
More pressing, though, is the fact that I cannot afford the expenses of this trip on my own. Over a year ago, I left my corporate job to focus on my Master's degree and get the necessary skills to launch a successful business. I have been working miscellaneous jobs and taking out student loans to be self-sustaining, but a little help from my community would go a long way.
From the bottom of my heart, thank you for your help and support in bringing this vital project to life.
Your contribution, whether big or small, will make a significant difference. If you cannot contribute financially, simply sharing this website with others would be appreciated.
Together, let's empower popular education, regenerative economics, and the future leaders of Paraguay. Join me on this journey.
- With Love,
Andrea Mares Flores-Marquez (she/they/ella/elle)
Estimated Budget
| Expense | Estimated Cost | How I estimated these expenses |
|---|---|---|
| Flight | $675 | I purchased my flight with the help of travel points. |
| Updated Wardrobe | $400 | Shopping at discount stores in Alexandria, Virginia (Ross, Marshalls) |
| Dining out | $351.60 | I probably won't have much time to cook, so I calculated what an average meal costs and multiplied it by the number of meals I will have. |
| Groceries | $23.37 | It will be nice to enjoy a stock of groceries I can dip into in case of long times between meals! |
| Car rental and gas | $606.70 | The average of the most affordable and more comfortable options ($497.7 and $715.7). |
| Emergency Expenses | $443.33 | Estimated at 22% of the total cost ($2,056.67) for any unforeseen emergencies during the trip. |
| Total | $2,500 | Anything raised beyond our goal will go directly to the school! |
