The Power of Collaboration

I believe in the power of people coming together.

ECC- Cristo Rey, Charla Informativa (step 2)

Yesterday I was re-listening to Simon Sinek's TEDtalk, "How great leaders inspire action" on a run. Sinek's model for inspirational leaders is simple, and all begins with the question, "WHY?"

Why do we do what we do? Why do we wake up every morning? Why do we choose the path that we choose?

I thought about it as I ran up and down the hills of San Cristobal, why did I choose to be here? Why am I serving in the Peace Corps?

My why hit me as I thought about my most recent project, forming an Empresa de Credito Comunal in a neighboring community, Cristo Rey.

We had our first session on Saturday, step number 3 of the 22 step process (the microfinance model comes from FINCA-Costa Rica). For the motivation of the session the group was re-enacting the three little pigs, the moral of the story being strength but more specifically, strength in numbers. The three little pigs were able to build the strongest house when they all came together, in order to keep the wolf or lobo out (or at least out of the house, as he did end up in their bellies after jumping in their boiling soup on the fire).

ECC Cristo Rey- Charla Informativa

I believe that each community member in the room is going to achieve more when they come together. Alone the majority of them do not have the collateral to take out a loan at BancoNacional, or they really only need a small amount, or they can't afford to travel the 35 km to get to the bank, or they can't fill out the forms. But together they can slowly build their capital, and have the opportunity of financing, through something they created together.


I believe in the power of collaboration, and using connections to create good in the world.