Bringing 1 Million Jobs to Latin America | Jessica Hammer

LATIN AMERICA • HR

Bringing 1 Million Jobs to Latin America | Jessica Hammer

Seedstars Global

MARCH 02, 2020

Ever since she can remember, Jessica has been walking the streets of Venezuela protesting with her family against various injustices Venezuelan people suffer. At 14, she had what we can call an “aha moment”. One day, when she was walking over a bridge during one manifestation, she realised that there are people who are experiencing even worse injustices than her. She vowed from that day on that she would support those in need, and has since been working for different non-profit initiatives around the world: from children with disabilities in Tibet, children with HIV in the Gambia, sexual workers in Curacao, to at-risk adolescents in Venezuela. A couple of years later, tired of constantly fundraising in the non-profit space, she decided to launch her own social business. After pivoting several times, Programa Valentina was born with a powerful business model that trains unemployed talent with basic skills and matches them with the needs of corporates. From failing to understand the problem, to being robbed at gunpoint, this mother of two is a true hero with an inspiring journey for all.

Programa Valentina is also the winner of the Transforming Education Prize by TRECC and School of Management Fribourg.

Listen to her story to learn more about why she won. You can also see more highlights from Jessica as part of our Entrepreneurial Education episode from the Online Seedstars Summit.

The podcast is also available in the video format:

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