Recognizing stories of digital transformation from favela entrepreneurs
No Corre Digital connected with more than 60,000 Brazilian micro-entrepreneurs through content, live streams, mentoring and tools
This post was written by Aliança Empreendedora, and was originally published here in Portuguese. Mastercard Strive partnered with Aliança Empreendedora in Brazil to support the digitalization of small businesses in Brazil’s favelas.
Almost four thousand kilometers separate the city of Iranduba, in Amazonas, from Brazil’s most populated city, São Paulo. This was the distance traveled by entrepreneur Vanda Oliveira Amaral, from Bonecaria da Amazônia, at the beginning of July. She left the town on the banks of the Solimões River to join other entrepreneurs from across each of Brazil’s five regions for a series of immersive face-to-face activities. These events marked the culmination of the No Corre Digital Selection Process, taking place on the 4th and 5th of July.
Their travel was rewarded with two intense days of learning and plenty of opportunities to trade experiences. The first of these was a full day at the Mastercard Brazil office, where entrepreneurs had the chance to engage in team-based activities and learn from renowned professionals in the areas of marketing and finance, adapted for a micro- and small business audience.
On day two, the entrepreneurs had the opportunity to explore the CUFA-organized Expo Favela Innovation summit in São Paulo. This event is a celebration of the ingenuity and opportunities found in favelas across Brazil, enabling entrepreneurs to connect with the best in small business innovation from across the country and leaving them energized and inspired. CUFA (Central Única das Favelas) is a Brazilian organization that works together with favela residents and young volunteers to build a fairer, poverty-free society.
Entrepreneur Ivani Grance, from República das Arteiras (Republic of Artisans), emphasizes how meaningful it was to have her voice heard [during the two day visit]. “The content was thoughtfully created to address our needs. I’m left with a sense of hope and the confidence that I’m on the right path.” Rio entrepreneur Jefferson Gomes dos Santos, from Ateliê e Curso Confeitando Fácil, expressed his gratitude saying, “It’s amazing. I didn’t expect to gain so much knowledge. The sharing of experiences showed me that, as a black and marginalized person, I’m not alone. The energy was great.”
The selection process
The path to these days of immersion was an exciting journey of learning, designed to support favela-based small businesses. A total of 722 people signed up for the No Corre Digital Selection Process, designed to uncover 100 inspiring stories of digital transformation by entrepreneurs and their businesses. Throughout the stages, entrepreneurs had access to online courses, digital tools, a content community on WhatsApp, YouTube live streams, and more.
Each stage of the process was scored, and finalist entrepreneurs were assessed based on a video pitch telling the story of their business’s digital transformation and why they deserved to be among the top 100. From these finalists, the top 30 were invited to the on-site immersion, while 70 others won three months of free individual mentoring with experts to accelerate their progress.
Transformative partnership
The No Corre Digital Selection Process marked the conclusion of the Mastercard Strive program in Brazil, delivered in partnership with Aliança Empreendedora and the Central Única das Favelas (CUFA). Since 2022, this collaboration has aimed to promote digital inclusion as a means of economic growth for micro-entrepreneurs across Brazil.
To this end, the partners carried out improvements to Tamo Junto, Aliança Empreendedora’s free training platform. One of the new features was the introduction of gamified content tracks, enabling entrepreneurs to personalize their learning journey and unlock rewards as they progressed. These tracks included:
- Digitize your Business track: Includes 14 courses on social media, online sales, and business management. Courses include “superpowers of technology”, “online sales and marketing channels” and “creating content for social networks”.
- Prepare for Credit track: A total of 8 courses on finance, business plans, and access to credit. Courses include “unraveling Credit and learning how to make a business plan”, “how to take care of your business finances”, and “financial planning”.
The program also offered live streams, live courses, mentoring, and access to more than 15 digital tools, as well as support to connect with partner credit organizations.
One of these organizations is CearáCredi, which before offering microcredit, refers entrepreneurs to the course “Unraveling credit and learning how to make a business plan”, to enable them to borrow wisely. Entrepreneur Ceiça Vasconcelos emphasizes the importance of Tamo Junto in this process. “It made a difference for me. Getting to know CearáCredi and Tamo Junto completely changed my view of credit and entrepreneurship. The platform offers a range of training material for those who want to grow,” says the artisan, who has already taken out credit twice to expand her business.
Results and impact
In the past two years, over 60,000 entrepreneurs have registered with Tamo Junto, with over 19,000 watching at least one video and over 8,500 attending at least one full course. Furthermore, more than 2,000 entrepreneurs have participated in live streams and collective mentoring, while over 3,600 have unlocked access to microcredit or digital tools, supporting the growth and resilience of their businesses.
Alexandra Meira, the program coordinator at Aliança Empreendedora , believes that digitalization is the catalyst for small businesses to expand their market reach. “The internet allows them to reach and connect with customers beyond their local communities, enabling them to close deals 100% online.” According to Meira, digital presence also enhances business management. “Online visibility provides greater recognition of yourself and your peers as small business owners. This inspires innovation and creativity, encouraging them to expand their vision for the business,” she concludes.
