CODESPA: Changing the face of poverty.

Most of us are moved by the painful signs of extreme poverty. 

The year is 2022. We turn on the TV and see a powerful image of starving children on a street corner. Scrolling online we come across a post about people in slums without access to potable water. Maybe we travel to a different country and see these things firsthand. 

The year is still 2022 and, even though progress has been made, there are still over 750 million people living on less than $1.90 a day. And so, we face that question: Should we do anything about it, and if so, what should we do about it? 

The year is 1985, when a group of businesspeople from Spain witnessed such visible signs of extreme poverty during their work travels to Latin America. They felt the same way we do when we see those images. They felt the need to help. And so, they asked themselves “What have we been doing and how can we do it better?”

Laureano López Rodó and a group of businessmen and university lecturers started discussing poverty and their concerns for an ever-growing problem: POVERTY. It was their desire to try to help the less fortunate achieve financial stability that led to the creation of CODESPA. Their goal was to end the cycle of extreme poverty in rural communities around the world by supporting the growth of local entrepreneurs and social enterprises - creating dignified business and employment opportunities for the most vulnerable men and women. In just a couple of years, they had 8 projects in different countries of Latin America. These efforts spread like wildfire!

What started as a meeting amongst a few individuals has grown into an international non-profit organization comprised of a community of more than 90 team members of professionals from around the world, including permanent staff, voluntary workers and consultants, and a significant group of virtual volunteers, that together take on the mission of raising 10 million people out of poverty and into a path of prosperity. Their common goal: is to fight against poverty, offering opportunities to those that need them the most.

CODESPA has developed a winning formula to help those facing extreme poverty achieve financial stability by empowering them through education. It is like the saying goes… “If you give a man a fish, he will be hungry tomorrow. If you teach a man to fish, he will be richer forever.” CODESPA is creating a world where people understand that to alleviate poverty you can’t just throw money at the problem, you have to expose the communities to what is possible through entrepreneurship, employment, and access. This is why CODESPA will never just hand over money to start a project or give a group of individuals a donation and walk away. CODESPA designs & locally implements economic development projects and provides technical assistance in Rural Market Development, Business & Technical Training Programs for Local Entrepreneurs, and Financial Services for People Living in Poverty Seeking Entrepreneurial Opportunities.  

In short, CODESPA provides education and training to transform lives!

To better ensure the success of each project, and staying in line with its sustainability goals, CODESPA uses a comprehensive approach when it takes on a new project. Their scalable poverty alleviation framework follows the CODE Method:

· Community-Centered Design

· Obtaining Participation of the Most Vulnerable

· Deliver Knowledge, Financial Services, Market Access

· Exit Strategy to Create Long-Term Self-Reliance

By using this framework and following their manifesto and value statements CODESPA has been able to offer individuals in communities facing extreme poverty help with programs such as: 

• Rural Market Development

  • Market Connectors

  • Market Creators

  • Strategic Partnerships

• Business and Technical Training Programs for Local Entrepreneurs

  • Technical and Vocation Training

  • Mini MBA Management Training for Entrepreneurs

  • Business Management & Organizational Training for Rural Cooperatives and Producer Associations

  • Incubator/Accelerator Program

• Financial Services for People Living in Poverty Seeking Entrepreneurial Opportunities

  • Financial Education

  • Financial Product Design

  • Financial Assess

CODESPA offers these services in a holistic way, meaning that they want to guide each individual through the process, ensuring that they buy into the opportunity, and can then walk away with the necessary tools and training necessary to continue to thrive and grow. 

CODESPA depends on heroes like you to help transform lives by changing their courses; from a path of extreme poverty to one of prosperity. You can sponsor a project, you can become a monthly donor, you can spread awareness about our mission or you can simply take a stand and declare that you want to help end poverty!

This year we will be focusing on The Seed; our monthly Giving Program that is passionate about joining a collective effort to raise people up and help them contribute in a positive and life-changing way to their own communities. If you have not heard of The Seed, we invite you to first take a closer look at our organization and learn about the amazing work being done all over the world. Our goal is to find people passionate about our cause to join in our efforts because isn’t that what we should do? Find a passion and pursue it… We are passionate about helping others and ending the cycle of poverty! That is the lifelong benefit we offer our community: the satisfaction of knowing you have made a difference in the lives of many who, without your help, would not be able to use their abilities and talents to provide for themselves and their families.

Join our cause and know your support is going directly to the process to create jobs, businesses, and market access for these individuals that will not only change their lives, but the fabric of their communities for generations to come.

Be part of the movement to rise above poverty together and embrace social justice. Come make history with us!