Our Mission: Provide women and other marginalized entrepreneurs with the tools to improve their lives

At ESCALA, we are committed to helping entrepreneurs living in poverty access business education and reach their full potential. When people are provided with relevant resources and training, they gain access to opportunities that help them build stronger futures. We see people thriving not only economically, but also in health, education, and other areas. This ripple effect spans beyond one person, building sustainable communities that will thrive for years to come.


What We Do

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  • Empower disadvantaged entrepreneurs and artisans - the majority of whom are women - living in poverty around the world.

  • Enroll artisans and entrepreneurs in our ESCALA Business School and Capacity Training Program, giving them the tools to establish, build, and run locally-owned enterprises.

  • Elevate women by giving them the tools to combat economic marginalization and become successful business owners.

  • Build strong networks of female entrepreneurs and artisans.

  • Enhance access to financial services for poor small business owners.

  • Offer seed funding grants to graduates from the ESCALA Business School and Capacity Training Program.

 


 

With over 25 transformative projects (including those of SPI, ESCALA has always been dedicated to alleviating poverty and helping people reach their full potential through female-focused entrepreneurial education. Our programs and curriculum provide women and others from low-resource communities the necessary knowledge and resource  to become profitable and self-sufficient entrepreneurs, helping them earn a living income. Our work ensures people have the economic means to support themselves and their families, building brighter futures and more resilient communities for generations to come. Our goal is to provide this support to all who need it.

Utilizing a proven curriculum developed over nearly a decade of completing progressively larger programs and projects all located near archaeological sites, ESCALA empowers women artisans and entrepreneurs who lack formal education and live in poverty by helping them to build a sustainable source of income. Today, we are partnering with local leaders throughout Latin America and Africa to bring our Business Schools to communities in need, helping poor entrepreneurs build new skills, solve problems, and find opportunities that were previously out of reach due to misogyny, poverty, and subsequent marginalization. 

We are always growing our community of partners, entrepreneurs, donors, and supporters. You can help us by taking direct action and donating here. We are committed to constantly learning from our experience as an organization. And we want to share it all with you. Follow us on social media to learn about the inspirational people behind our initiatives. You can also sign up for our newsletter here.