We Create School builds creative futures in Vanuatu

July 17, 2025 10:15 pm | Posted in Business News | Share now TwitterFacebook

Vanuatu is a far cry from Bolivia, but Bolivian fashion designer Vanessa Raquel Alvarado Camacho chose to start her creative business in this part of the world.

Ms Camacho is co-founder of We Create School, a fashion and creative training centre based in Port Vila, Vanuatu.

“I was motivated by the need I saw in the community – many women and youth were eager to learn sewing and design but lacked access to structured training. I wanted to create a space where people could gain real skills, express their creativity, and unlock new opportunities for themselves,” she says.

Helping this fledgling business to grow, We Create School received financial support through Business Link Pacific (BLP). The grant helped Camacho purchase equipment to support the growing number of students at the school – equipment including an embroidery machine, a fabric printing machine, industrial irons, mannequins and additional sewing tools.

With a hairdressing class taking off, hair-washing beds were also purchased. The fashion designer says, “The equipment purchased with the BLP grant was essential to improve the quality of our training, expand our course offerings, and create a more professional learning environment. The grant allowed us to support more students, offer more diverse programs, and operate more efficiently. As a result, it has helped increase our capacity and boosted both our income and sustainability.”

Starting small, We Create School opened in December 2020 based out of Vanessa’s living room with just 10 students, a few sewing machines and a lot of passion. As interest grew, the business moved into a larger space and eventually expanded into a dedicated facility at the Vanuatu Institute of Technology.

Now the team is composed of four staff members, including local instructors, administration and support personnel with Camacho overseeing the whole operation and training.

We Create School not only received a BLP grant but later also benefited from a 50/50 BLP subsidy, which made expert digital support more affordable for the business. “The advisory support on our website and in our marketing has been very beneficial. People are now much more aware of the business. We’ve received a lot more enrolments and it streamlined the registration process.”

The business vision is to ensure the long-term sustainability of We Create School by transitioning it into a fully locally owned institution, possibly under a public or Community-Based Organisation (CBO).

“We want the business to continue to empower people in Vanuatu through creative education, even after we move on to other projects,” says Camacho. “Personally, I hope to continue supporting creative initiatives across the Pacific and beyond.

“We Create School is grateful to BLP for their steadfast support and generosity. Their guidance and encouragement has been instrumental in our journey, and we truly appreciate their commitment to helping entrepreneurs succeed. It’s an honour to be supported by such an exceptional team, and we will always cherish the opportunities BLP has provided.

“Thank you BLP for believing in us and making a meaningful impact on our business.”

BLP is a private sector development programme funded by the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) and delivered by DT-Global working in partnership with Vanuatu Chamber of Commerce and Industry in the development of business and financial services in Vanuatu and the Pacific.