Women entrepreneurs in Costa Rica represent an opportunity for economic growth after the effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic, however, it is necessary to support their access to financial credit and the creation of support networks.
The World Bank points out that without access to capital it is practically impossible to maintain a business. According to estimates, women-owned businesses account for more than 30% of formal and registered businesses worldwide. However, 70% of formal small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the hands of women in developing countries do not obtain financial services under adequate conditions.
“Entrepreneurship generates jobs and progress for nations. I believe that some Latin American countries have not understood and there are others that have a bit of a hard time. We are going through a good process, but we cannot sleep”, acknowledges Johanna Salgado, general director of the Women Economic Forum Caribbean 2021.
Contributing to the national economies
She points out that in Latin America and the Caribbean women entrepreneurs can contribute to national economies, but the lack of resources and the challenges they face due to the gender gap have delayed their growth.
She mentions that women should divide their time for entrepreneurship and home care. In addition, he adds that a woman spends around 70% of her salary on her family, so the lack of capital also prevents them from starting a business.
The difficulty of accessing financial loans adds to the challenges of entrepreneurship for women. Salgado points out that the difficulty in accessing these instruments is due to the absence of credit life and that there is no access to capital for women who want to undertake by finance companies. “There are access to seed capital, but finance companies have to be aligned with what is happening in the ecosystem and understand the needs of entrepreneurs,” she says.
Importance of exercising entrepreneurial skills
In addition, it is highlighted the importance of exercising the entrepreneurial skills of women from the academy so that when they enter the world of work they are high-performance entrepreneurs. Also, it highlights the creation of communities and support networks within the same society to work under the same purpose. She adds that governments have to see entrepreneurs as their own providers to generate local opportunities, and women should be considered as an engine of growth.
“We are at a crucial point for the economies of the region. Due to the Pandemic there was an economic recession and if we do not take measures we are going to lose many ventures. In addition, instead of entrepreneurship, women are going to take jobs, because it is the easiest way to generate income ”, Salgado concludes.
