Aguadilla, Puerto Rico - Friends of Puerto Rico, a non-profit organization that supports economic development through entrepreneurial education and the promotion of sustainable agriculture, celebrated the graduation of its third cohort of the SEEDS youth entrepreneurship program on May 20th at the Aguadilla Business Center. SEEDS is an educational program that teaches children of 9+ years to run a business from the ground up.
An outstanding group of 33 young entrepreneurs participated in the graduation and presented their small businesses, defining their prototypes and objectives. Projects featured range from artistic and culinary companies to mass-made products.
“The future of Puerto Rico depends on young people being able to obtain entrepreneurial skills,” said Angelique Sina, President of Friends of Puerto Rico and Director of the SEEDS Program. "It makes us happy to be able to graduate 33 new entrepreneurs and to have impacted over 250 in the last 3 years."
A panel of judges evaluated six fully operational business projects to select the SEEDS Empresa De Oro award. Génesis Colón Meléndez and her business selling artisanal plants won the award.
Génesis, a student at the Flor de Loto Montessori School located in Ponce, Puerto Rico, will receive business mentoring and the conceptualization and graphic design of her brand on a banner and business cards.
The panel of judges included Minerva Serrano, President of Activus Connect, Kristen Serrano, Member of Activus Connect, and Cesar G. Santiago Jr, CEO of Sombrero Media.
For Felix Serrano, CEO of Activus Connect, “It is an honor to participate in and experience the path of growth of the SEEDS program and the entrepreneurs cultivated through the program. Feeling the passion and seeing the audacity with which these young entrepreneurs approach each day is inspiring beyond words.”
In addition, the following students were recognized for their business projects: Atabeyra Reyes Román, also from the Flor de Loto Montessori School in Ponce, stood out with her company dedicated to the sale of collars and accessories for animals, “Pretty Pets.” From the Juana Rosario Carrero School in Aguada, Jade K. Adames presented her business, “Las Meninas de Paz,” producing motivational stickers. On the other hand, Julianyz and Mirailyz Nuñez presented “Sweet Pet,” a business project to sell collars and accessories for pets.
Representing the Ana M. Javariz School in Aguadilla, Shaddai González stood out, exhibiting her company "Shaddai's Limber," which began in June 2020 based on the family tradition of producing limbers of various flavors. And finally, Dayiana Cardona presented “D'Rosse Jewelry Creations,” dedicated to selling handmade bracelets and necklaces.
The event ended with a product market in which 33 young entrepreneurs displayed their products for sale.
Our Program’s Journey
Since 2019, SEEDS has enabled more than 200 students in Puerto Rico to tackle real-world business problems and participate in mentoring programs with business leaders on and off the island to launch their businesses.
The SEEDS curriculum includes a 31-week training in which students learn about entrepreneurship and are encouraged to sell Café Ama to finance their businesses. This social impact coffee promotes agriculture in children aged 9+ and focuses on the importance of growing and producing locally to combat food insecurity.
Upon completion of the program, all students gain training and are equipped with tools that help them better understand sustainable entrepreneurship and take their businesses to the next level.
The students also participated in agricultural activities such as planting trees at Hacienda Panorama, where Café Ama and other local products are grown. This year, some 100 students participated in the program's different activities.
Support a future generation of leaders.
To sustain the SEEDS Program as a non-profit entity, Friends of Puerto Rico draws on the financial support of individual donations, private collaborators, and companies that share the mission of betting on a new generation of leaders for Puerto Rico. Similarly, the purchase of Café Ama contributes to sustaining this program. Currently, the collaboration of Merck, Activus Connect, and the Ángel Ramos Foundation has been crucial.
For more young people to participate in this program, the support and donations from the community are of great importance. That is why Friends of Puerto Rico invites you to continue contributing to the construction of future generations of Puerto Rican entrepreneurs. To do this, you can become a Friends of Puerto Rico donor and participate as a mentor or volunteer in the program.
"At Merck, we recognize the mission of Friends of Puerto Rico to promote innovation, leadership, and inclusion on the Island through the SEEDS program that seeks to empower social entrepreneurs and stimulate sustainable economic growth, among other things," said Juan Leonardo Negrón, Public Policy and Communications Director of Merck. “We value the collaboration and solidarity with organizations like this one, which are committed to positive change and the social transformation of the island and its inhabitants.”
