Vanuatu is a far cry from Bolivia, for Bolivian fashion designer Vanessa Raquel Alvarado Camacho, but she chose to co-found We Create School, a fashion and creative training centre based in Port Vila, Vanuatu.
Helping this fledgling business to grow, We Create School received financial support through Business Link Pacific (BLP). The grant helped Vanessa purchase equipment to support the growing number of students at the school – equipment including an embroidery machine, a fabric printing machine, industrial irons, mannequins and additional sewing tools. With a hairdressing class taking off, hair-washing beds were also purchased.
“I was motivated by the need I saw in the community – many women and youth were eager to learn sewing and design but lacked access to structured training,” Vanessa says. “I wanted to create a space where people could gain real skills, express their creativity, and unlock new opportunities for themselves,” says Vanessa.
“The equipment purchased with the BLP grant was essential to improve the quality of our training, expand our course offerings, and create a more professional learning environment. The grant allowed us to support more students, offer more diverse programs, and operate more efficiently. As a result, it has helped increase our capacity and boosted both our income and sustainability.”
Starting small, We Create School opened in December 2020 based out of Vanessa’s living room with just 10 students, a few sewing machines and a lot of passion. As interest grew, the business moved into a larger space and eventually expanded into a dedicated facility at the Vanuatu Institute of Technology.
Now the team is composed of four staff members, including local instructors, administration and support personnel with Vanessa overseeing the whole operation and training.
We Create School not only received a BLP grant but later also benefited from a 50/50 BLP subsidy which made expert digital support more affordable for the business. “The advisory support on our website and in our marketing has been very beneficial. People are now much more aware of the business. We’ve received a lot more enrolments and it streamlined the registration process.”
The business vision is to ensure the long-term sustainability of We Create School by transitioning it into a fully locally owned institution, possibly under a public or community-based organisation.
“We want the business to continue to empower people in Vanuatu through creative education, even after we move on to other projects. Personally, I hope to continue supporting creative initiatives across the Pacific and beyond.”
“We Create School is grateful to BLP for their steadfast support and generosity. Their guidance and encouragement have been instrumental in our journey, and we truly appreciate their commitment to helping entrepreneurs succeed. It’s an honour to be supported by such an exceptional team, and we will always cherish the opportunities BLP has provided. Thank you BLP for believing in us and making a meaningful impact on our business.”
BLP facilitates access to business advisory services and financial support. To start your journey with BLP, you can self-assess your needs by using the free online tools available to help small- and medium-sized businesses diagnose areas in their businesses that an advisor could improve.
The first step can be the online Business Health Check. You can also check your business’s resilience to respond to crises or climate change challenges on the Business Continuity Planner and the Climate Action Sensor. If you prefer to meet a local BLP representative in person to discuss your business, get in touch with our local partners to arrange a face-to-face Diagnostic.