Sonia Sarango has drawn on the customs and knowledge of Ecuador’s Saraguro Indigenous communities to lead a women’s agricultural association and craft exclusive Amazonian products with local flavors, such as her signature lemon verbena tonic water and ginger-hibiscus soda.
Winning the SOY EMPRENDEDORA (I Am an Entrepreneur) Program gave Sonia the opportunity to expand her carbonated beverage company, Mallik. She established a sustainable production model and grew her client base to over 32 stores across Zamora Chinchipe, Loja, and Azuay. “I am passionate about my business, believe in social and environmental responsibility, and recognized the need to foster development within my community, so I took action,” she affirmed.
Reflecting on the program’s impact, Sonia shares, “Being part of the SOY EMPRENDEDORA program has been a unique experience. It provided invaluable training in business, technical support, and weekly mentorship over the course of a year—support that has truly helped us grow.”
To date, the program has provided business training to 90 women and seed capital to 12 women over its three editions.
Established in 2021, this program is a business incubator created by the Lundin Foundation and Lundin Gold to empower and positively impact women’s lives. It has provided training in management skills and women’s leadership, as well as personalized coaching focused on self-awareness and women’s empowerment. With the seed capital Sonia received, she was able to perfect Mallik’s formulas and secure two essential sanitary permits, allowing her products to be distributed nationally.
“As women entrepreneurs, we need to support each other; even within obstacles, there are always opportunities,” Sonia reflected on the challenges her business faced after 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic. “SOY EMPRENDEDORA was an incredible journey that provided us with invaluable business training and a renewed opportunity to grow both our business and our community.”
Sonia has transformed her business and refreshed her corporate identity, officially registering all her products and brands under her name. Her factory has undergone a major upgrade, including new production and bottling tanks, advanced technology for aluminum can packaging, and labeling that meets supermarket standards—poising her products for broader market reach. Reflecting on her journey, she adds, “As women entrepreneurs, we need to empower ourselves and overcome our fears of failure. We must break barriers and pursue what we love. We are all capable, each with a unique gift to share with the world.”
