The Kalu Yala Institute and community have been battling to create a local economy that can be of benefit to the students, staff members, and guests to drive the settlement forward. One of the ways the Kalu Yala settlement has been trying to create a sustainable environment for growth is through a commitment to driving forward small business opportunities. Kalu Yala reviews are filled with praise for the existing small businesses and the opportunities for students to work at the business office base din Panama City.
The impact of small business on the Kalu Yala community
One of the reasons the small business aspect of the Kalu Yala site is so important is the fact the aim of the group is to build an independent, sustainable culture where the jungle location is largely self-sufficient. By creating a series of small businesses, the Kalu Yala site has found a way to bring money into the economy they are creating as the settlement moves from being a village to a larger town. Small businesses in the town are often based around the same principles as the larger community uses to push the community forward. Sustainability and acts of philanthropy are common in the businesses found at the jungle location with further business opportunities on offer at the main Panama City office. Small Business Trends reports only four percent of U.S. entrepreneurs aged between 18 and 29, the chances offered at Kalu Yala are invaluable for those with an interest in starting a business in the future.
Success stories at Kalu Yala
Kalu Yala reviews often discuss the success of the small businesses that are already operating in the jungle encampment. With more than 30 million small businesses operating in the U.S. at any time and around 20 percent failing during the first year, according to Lending Tree, operating four small businesses from a single location shows the success of Kalu Yala.
The small business often mentioned in Kalu Yala Reviews is the Tres Brazos Outfitters company that has been in operation for the majority of the life of the jungle settlement. The business was born from the mind of a former student at the camp and is run each year by different staff members and students looking to build n the success of the business. Ecotourism is a huge part of the economic landscape of Kalu Yala with students, staff members, and guests taking advantage of trips taking them around the local area to stunning spaces where they learn about the sustainability of the program.
As one would imagine, sustainability is a key part of the work being done in small businesses across the site just 35 minutes drive from Panama City. The head of construction at the site has recently begun his own construction company designed to ensure the buildings created have a multi-century lifespan lasting at least 100 years. The sustainable nature of the buildings being created means the use of building materials will be reduced leading to a more sustainable future for the jungle of Panama.
Another small business is one of the longest-open businesses at Kalu Yala is La Vecinita, a store opened by a local Panamanian woman, Erika Quiroz who sells food, drinks, and other everyday items. Erika sells the goods created by local people in the settlement of San Miguel, Panama. Not only does Erika work with artisans and farmers whom she works with on a regular basis, but Erika also gives 10 percent of her proceeds to the local community