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Thousands of Peru's Young Entrepreneurs Attend Regent Training Despite Devastating Earthquake September 11, 2007
Virginia Beach, Va. – Despite national mourning throughout Peru due to the recent devastating earthquake, 3,400 young Peruvian entrepreneurs chose to focus on their goals to improve the country’s economy by completing their first training session in entrepreneurship designed and led by Regent University’s School of Global Leadership & Entrepreneurship (GLE). This national training program called "The Kingdom Entrepreneurs" was held August 30 and 31 in Lima, Peru and is part of an extensive GLE entrepreneurship development project that resulted from a meeting with Peruvian President Alan Garcia late last year. The program was designed specifically for young adults interested in entrepreneurship and individuals planning to launch new business initiatives as a way of overcoming the country’s unemployment rate and slow micro economic development.
According to Dr. Bruce Winston, GLE dean, “Entrepreneurship is a driving force around the world, and although entrepreneurship can be different from country to country, we want to promote its growth in both emerging and developed economies through these and other programs.” Conducted completely in Spanish, the first 10-hour, two-day module titled "God’s Ideas" was held at three locations and addressed the biblical basis for entrepreneurial activity, the basic aspects of starting a new business and Christian ethics for the entrepreneurial endeavor. While most of the participants were from Lima, other Peruvian cities were also represented. GLE provided training scholarships to 40 participants who were directly affected by the earthquake. GLE, alongside Regent MBA graduates Oscar Benitez and Juan Callejas, joined two large Peruvian churches, Agua Viva (Living Water) and Camino de Vida (Way of Life), to teach, motivate and minister to participants.
The Rev. Robert Barriger, pastor of Camino de Vida commented that “with the focus on rebuilding and regenerating the earthquake-stricken areas, the role of entrepreneurship in driving inclusive economic development cannot be ignored.” Data from the 2006 Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) indicates that Peru has the world’s highest percentage of entrepreneurial activity. Entrepreneurship, as a central component of leadership, has become a highly-valued trait given the competitive market economy. Dr. Sergio Matviuk, GLE professor and head of the project explained that “Peruvians are very creative and, when facing difficult economic circumstances, quickly engage in all sorts of entrepreneurial activity to make a living.” Those participants who qualify for the second level of training will take another module in November titled "Developing Successful Business Plans," which will focus on how to formulate a business plan. The third module will be comprised of those participants whose business plans were selected after a rigorous evaluation by a local committee of experts and will focus on how to manage and lead a new business enterprise. Five of those participants, whose projects were deemed most outstanding and most feasible, will then be chosen to receive grant funding to initiate their entrepreneurial endeavors. “Thank you, Regent University, for bringing this training to us. The churches in the country have a great need for this kind of teaching. For a long time we have trained people how to lead a Bible study and how to worship, but it is now time to teach them how to be an entrepreneur for God’s kingdom.” said Congresswoman Mirtha Lazo Rios de Hornung, wife of the Rev. Peter Hornung, pastor of Agua Viva. GLE is scheduled to host a breakfast with Peruvian Congress members on September 28 to identify what they can do as legislators to foster entrepreneurship and business development in their country. About the School of Global Leadership & Entrepreneurship About Regent University Founded in 1978, Regent University has more than 4,000 students studying on its campus in Virginia Beach, Va., and online around the world. Regent offers bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees from a Christian perspective in fields including business, communication and the arts, divinity, education, government, law, leadership, and psychology and counseling.
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