Seeing Things That Cannot Be Unseen With Margarita Forster

Claudia interviews Margarita Heredia Forster, founder of Fondación Avanzar. Margarita shares how a major pivot was to become a mother, and how she changed her thinking about children's opportunities and ways of living, evolving, finding their place in the world. She points back to a visit to a home for single mothers in Ecuador after the birth of her first child. To see these often very young mothers, their dependence and difficult life conditions, truly gave her the calling to be of fundamental help so true change can happen for these mothers and their children. Margarita started the foundation 25 years ago, initially fundraising in Switzerland with friends before evolving into a vocational training and entrepreneurship program for women. The organisation covers areas like gastronomy, beauty, and photography. Margarita also describes how a hospital project in 2009 led to the create Atelier Avanzar, a social enterprise producing handmade bags that are now sold in Switzerland, and how this inspired a broader initiative bringing together 15 to 25 independent artisan brands three times a year for two-day Atelier events in Zurich. THe things that can be built in over 25 years ...