Laura Quiñonez

Laura Quiñonez is a single mother of two and an entrepreneur from La Fortuna, Caluma, Ecuador. She supports her family through agriculture, growing crops like corn, cassava, bananas, cocoa, and oranges. As a volunteer with the Fundación de Desarrollo Integral y Amparo Social Caluma , Laura is committed to helping vulnerable groups in her community.

Together with eight other women heads of households, Laura will use the Giving Joy grant to turn plant waste—such as cocoa shells, bijao leaves, and banana leaves—into organic packaging for local food products like sweets, chocolates, chicken tongas, and fish buns. Their goal is to increase their income and promote sustainability within their community.

The project includes a 20-hour training on food handling and sustainable packaging. The women will also design eco-friendly labels to strengthen their brand and market their products through social media and local markets to expand their reach.

This grant will directly improve the skills of the women involved, enabling them to produce higher-quality products and develop a recognizable brand. By increasing product visibility, the project will also help boost local sales.

Beyond these benefits, the initiative will create jobs, stimulate the local economy, and foster environmentally sustainable practices in La Fortuna. Ultimately, it will empower women, raise awareness about sustainability, and contribute to the long-term well-being of their families and community.