Impulso Inicial has been working since 2018 supporting people and organizations -non-profit- that send their requests through social networks, mainly in the areas of entrepreneurship and sports. The support is always concrete and delivered directly to the beneficiary, such as machinery, raw materials and tools, in entrepreneurship; and in sports, with tickets to attend competitions or clothing.
As a result of the health emergency, the program injected energy into its management to add new contributions week by week in the context of the pandemic. Thus, by the end of 2020, a total of 2,276 cases had been completed, of which 34% went to individuals and organizations in the Metropolitan Region and 66% to other regions of the country. In 2020, contributions were made from Arica to Magallanes, with the regions of Valparaíso (366), Biobío (309) and La Araucanía (144) standing out.
Macarena Van Dorsee, director of the Impulso Inicial program, pointed out that “undoubtedly 2020 was a year of consolidation for the program in terms of beneficiaries and an additional effort as a team, as a result of the exponential increase in the number of applications received in the context of the pandemic. We were able to support more than 2,000 people and entities that turned to the Luksic Foundation to obtain a contribution that would allow them to move forward, mainly in entrepreneurship”.
Marycela Correa (33) was one of the people who received support from Impulso Inicial last year. This entrepreneur from Huechuraba has had her business “Pintando Sueños by Pintatillas” for more than two years, with which she paints and personalizes by hand orthopedic helmets that protect the heads of infants suffering from plagiocephaly, a pathology that forces them to wear this protection permanently between 4 and 18 months of age.
Through Impulso Inicial, she received inputs and tools that allowed her to improve the time and process of manufacturing her products. “I am in love with what I do. For me this is a very rewarding job. When I deliver my work, all my clients leave with a smile on their faces and some parents cry with emotion,” says Marycela, adding that her work has a special impact on families.
Another case of 2020 is that of the Curacautín Tennis School, in the Araucanía Region, a non-profit organization created by Arturo Rojas with the aim of encouraging the practice of this sport in his community. “This year has been quite good, particularly because of the support of Impulso Inicial with uniforms, implements and rackets for our students and the interest of the mayor of the commune, who visited us recently and expressed his intentions to get us a court for the school to operate. All this makes us very happy. We have had very good results and, if the pandemic allows it, we want to return to competitions as soon as possible”, Arturo assures.
Those entrepreneurs and athletes who need support to achieve their goals can apply to Impulso Inicial, they only have to send their requests through Facebook, Twitter or Instagram, and the team will contact them to evaluate their case.