Alternativa

What Alternativa does

Alternativa – Centro de Investigación y Educación Popular is a Peruvian non-profit civil association (asociación civil sin fines de lucro) founded in 1979 and headquartered in Lima, operating across 9 regions of Peru with thematic focus on social development, territorial and environmental management, citizen participation and public management, microfinance, and local economic development and employment. Its portfolio comprises educational programs (Creando oportunidades desde mi cole), women's entrepreneurship training (Supérate Mujer, established 2015), employability and entrepreneurship initiatives (Lima Norte Emplea y Emprende using the VIVES methodology co-developed with Acción Contra el Hambre), gender violence prevention, human trafficking prevention (Lima Norte, Libre de Trata), migrant educational inclusion (with UNICEF), water resource management in highland basins, and a virtual artisan marketplace (Casa Virtual del Artesano) plus a virtual learning platform (Aula Virtual). The underlying technology is primarily participatory educational methodologies and community development frameworks rather than software products, with proprietary methodologies (VIVES, Supérate Mujer, ConViviendo) constituting the main intangible assets.

Alternativa's revenue model is grant-based: the organization does not charge beneficiaries for its programs and instead receives earmarked project grants and international development cooperation funding from agencies and foundations including UNICEF, Oxfam, Acción Contra el Hambre, the European Union, AECID, EMpower, and Fundación La Caixa, supplemented by strategic consortium partnerships with Peruvian civil society organizations (Calandria, CESIP, CODESPA) and government counterparts (Ministerio de Educación, Ministerio del Ambiente, Ministerio de la Mujer, Mancomunidad Municipal de Lima Norte). Customer/beneficiary segments include vulnerable populations, women microentrepreneurs, adolescents and youth, local governments, and rural communities; service delivery is community-led through direct field intervention, workshops, training, and capacity building rather than commercial channels. Leadership rests with Director General Rodolfo Alva Córdova (since 2014) and a Consejo Directivo, with the organization recognized through international microfinance transparency certifications (MIX S.T.A.R. 2013) and Peruvian ministerial recognitions (Educación 2014, Ambiente 2017).

Name

Alternativa

Legal name

Alternativa – Centro de Investigación y Educación Popular

Website

https://alter.pe

Company type

Private

Founded year

1979

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Alternativa is a Peruvian non-profit civil association founded in 1979 that designs and delivers community-led social development programs in education, gender equality, youth employment, microfinance, and environmental management across 9 regions of Peru, funded primarily through international development grants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Social Development Services

NAICS

Educational Services (611), Educational Support Services (611710), All Other Schools and Instruction (61169)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Education Access & Quality (International Development) (BPAGABAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Education Systems & Skills Technical Assistance (BPADAEAI), Education Systems Strengthening (Policy, Planning, EMIS, Governance) (BPADAKAK), Cultural Adjustment & Integration Services (intercultural programs, community connection) (EDALANAD)

Keywords

• Social development programs
• Community education
• Gender violence prevention
• Women entrepreneurship training
• Environmental conservation

Headquarters

HQ city

Lima

HQ country

Peru

HQ region

Latin America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. International Development Cooperation: Funding from international development agencies, foundations, and foreign governments for social development programs
2. Project Grants: Earmarked funding for specific projects such as human trafficking prevention, educational inclusion, and gender violence prevention

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Alternativa – Centro de Investigación y Educación Popular is a Peruvian non-profit civil association that delivers social development programs across five thematic axes: social development, territorial development and environment, citizen participation and public management, microfinance, and local economic development and employment. Its offerings include school-based educational programs, women's entrepreneurship training (Supérate Mujer), employability programs for vulnerable youth, gender violence prevention, human trafficking prevention, and water resource management initiatives, delivered through direct community engagement and partnerships with municipal governments and international development agencies.

Product overview

Alternativa is a non-profit civil association (Centro de Investigación y Educación Popular) offering a portfolio of social development programs rather than a unified technology product. Its offerings include educational programs (Creando oportunidades desde mi cole), women entrepreneurship training (Supérate Mujer), employment and entrepreneurship initiatives (Lima Norte Emplea y Emprende), gender violence prevention programs, environmental management (water infrastructure and conservation), and virtual learning platforms. The organization also publishes research materials, training guides, and the 'Alternativa Descentralista' magazine. These programs operate independently rather than as an integrated platform.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Creando oportunidades desde mi cole An educational program that strengthens social skills, entrepreneurial skills with a gender focus, and comprehensive sexuality education for adolescents in Lima Norte public secondary schools.
• Supérate Mujer (Escuela para Mujeres Emprendedoras) A training and business advisory program for women entrepreneurs, focusing on leadership, organizational strengthening, gender and economic-social rights, financial education, business planning, and health and environment.
• Lima Norte Emplea y Emprende A program developing employable skills and entrepreneurship capabilities for vulnerable youth and women in Lima Norte using VIVES EMPLEA and VIVES EMPRENDE methodologies developed in partnership with Acción Contra el Hambre.
• Liderazgos feministas para la prevención de violencia de género A program building feminist leadership among organized women from multiple Lima districts to prevent gender violence and promote care systems with a gender and rights approach.
• Infraestructura natural y cultura del agua Natural infrastructure projects for water security in highland basins, implementing participatory water and sanitation management and water resource planning across various river basins (including Chillón).
• Lima Norte, Libre de Trata An educational workshop module for secondary school students that strengthens socio-emotional skills and promotes safe use of social networks to prevent human trafficking in Lima Norte.
• Inclusión Educativa y Apoyo Socioeducativo a NNAs Migrantes A project implemented with UNICEF supporting migrant, refugee, and host community families in digital enrollment processes for Lima Metropolitan schools.
• Casa Virtual del Artesano An online platform supporting micro and small businesses (MYPES) with virtual presence for their artisan products.
• Aula Virtual Virtual classroom platform hosting educational activities and capacity-building training programs.

Quantifiable outcome

• 499 adolescents strengthened social and entrepreneurial skills with gender approach
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• UNICEFcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for educational inclusion of migrant children in Lima Metropolitan. Supported digital enrollment 2026 for over 1600 families across UGEL 02, 04, and 05.
• OxfamcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing partnership for social development programs, youth employment initiatives, and emergency response in Piura and Lima Norte.
• Acción Contra el HambrecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for VIVES methodology adaptation for employability and entrepreneurship training in Lima Norte, reaching vulnerable youth and women.
• CODESPAmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSpanish NGO partner for development cooperation projects.
• CalandriacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPeruvian civil society organization consortium partner for human trafficking prevention in Lima Norte.
• CESIPcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerConsortium partner for educational and social research projects.
• Ministerio del AmbientemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernment partner for water resource management and environmental conservation programs.
• Ministerio de EducacióncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernment partner for educational initiatives, school programs, and educational policy advocacy.
• Ministerio de la Mujer y Poblaciones VulnerablesmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernment partner for gender equality and violence prevention programs.
• Mancomunidad Municipal de Lima NortecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAssociation of municipalities working collaboratively on shared development initiatives for Lima Norte districts.
• Universidad Nacional Mayor de San MarcosmajorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerAcademic partnership for educational research and institutional collaboration.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Save the Children Peru: International NGO with Peru operations focused on child rights, education, and adolescent protection. Comparable to Alternativa on school-based adolescent programs, human trafficking prevention, and educational inclusion.
• CARE Peru: International development NGO operating in Peru on women's economic empowerment, education, and emergency response. Comparable to Alternativa on Supérate Mujer-style women's entrepreneurship and community-based development programs.
• UNICEF Peru: UN agency for children's rights with active Peru programming. Alternativa is a UNICEF partner on migrant education inclusion (Matrícula Digital 2026), making UNICEF a comparable funder/peer in educational inclusion programming.
• Oxfam Peru: International confederation with Peru operations focused on inequality, gender justice, and humanitarian response. Alternativa is a documented Oxfam implementing partner in Piura and Lima Norte; Oxfam Peru is a broader incumbent in overlapping thematic areas.

Direct peers

• CESIP: Peruvian NGO focused on educational and social research with school-based programs. CESIP is a documented consortium partner with Alternativa on educational and social research projects, making it a directly comparable peer in thematic focus and methodology.
• Grupo Propuesta Ciudadana: Peruvian civil society coalition focused on citizen participation, governance, and public policy advocacy. Comparable to Alternativa's citizen participation and local governance strengthening programs, with overlapping approaches to municipal capacity building.
• Acción Contra el Hambre (Peru): International NGO operating in Peru on employability, entrepreneurship, and water/sanitation. Alternativa adapted Acción Contra el Hambre's VIVES methodology for Lima Norte, making it both a methodology partner and a directly comparable peer in vulnerable youth and women programming.
• Manuela Ramos: Peruvian women's rights organization promoting gender equality and economic empowerment. Comparable to Alternativa on gender-focused programming and microfinance/women's entrepreneurship, serving low-income women in urban and rural Peru.
• Calandria: Peruvian civil society organization specializing in education, communication, and social research. Alternativa and Calandria are documented consortium partners on the EU-funded 'Ciudadanía activa' human trafficking prevention project, indicating closely aligned program portfolios and target beneficiaries.
• Centro de la Mujer Peruana Flora Tristán: Long-standing Peruvian feminist NGO focused on women's rights, gender equality, and violence prevention. Comparable to Alternativa's 'Liderazgos feministas' and gender violence programs, serving overlapping populations with similar civil society advocacy approaches.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCItVhwEbyR9juAaYq2bCBvg
• Facebookfacebook.com/centroalternativa
• Instagraminstagram.com/alter.centro

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Alternativa