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Over the course of nearly two decades, Rede Asta has directly impacted 30,000 people, generated R$20 million in income, and brought productive inclusion initiatives to 369 Brazilian municipalities. The organization places handmade work at the heart of income generation and local development, structuring businesses led by women.
Rede Asta is a network of opportunities for women who find in artisanal production not just a source of income, but a path to purpose, autonomy, and impact.
In Brazil, 46% of nano-businesses close within two years due to a lack of market access, training, and support networks. It is in this scenario, where more than 14 million individual micro-entrepreneurs (MEIs) and 40 million informal entrepreneurs face vulnerability and informality despite their high economic potential, that the institution works to build alternatives.
The organization believes in the power of small revolutions to generate major evolutions, combining opportunities, support, innovation, and sensitivity to embrace the stories behind every entrepreneur.
The training provided results in an average 40% increase in participants' revenue, contributing to the consolidation of local economies in different regions of the country.
"What we have built over these nearly 20 years shows that handmade work can be a revolutionary force when there is the right investment, support networks, and space for women to be the protagonists of their own stories," says Alice Freitas, co-founder of Rede Asta.
The work focuses on strengthening women who represent the strength of diverse communities. Of these entrepreneurs, 60% are Black or mixed-race, 56% are heads of households, and 50% live in peripheral or rural areas. The majority (52%) live on up to two minimum wages, which highlights the direct impact of Rede Asta's work on households with the least access to opportunities.
The organization's work is divided into three main programs, with projects aimed at training and strengthening nano-entrepreneurs across the country:
The goal is to train women to develop sustainable businesses based on their manual skills. To this end, Rede Asta offers projects such as the Business School, which accelerates financial management, planning, and sales; the Design School, focused on product and visual identity; Prepara, an introductory course for beginners; and the Precifique app, which assists with pricing and management.
More than 7,000 women have already completed the courses and received over R$800,000 in scholarships and seed capital. The result is an average 40% increase in revenue, proving the impact of entrepreneurial education on transforming lives and communities.
The program promotes income generation and social transformation through innovative projects that address urgent challenges. The Máscara + Renda project mobilized 3,000 seamstresses to produce 8 million masks, generating R$11 million in income and protecting vulnerable communities. Mulheres + Renda combats period poverty by making sustainable sanitary pads, benefiting 30,000 people and generating income for the producers. Meanwhile, Pulso RS trains women to produce crochet bracelets, supporting the rebuilding of lives after the floods in Rio Grande do Sul.
The impact includes more than R$10 million in direct income, 30,000 donated sanitary pad kits, and 19,000 bracelets produced, which generated approximately R$190,000 in direct income for women affected by the floods in RS.
The program strengthens low-carbon productive ecosystems through fairs and the Local Market, where entrepreneurs improve their sales and expand their customer networks; the Asta Maps platform, which connects producers to buyers; and Local Productive Mobilization, which strengthens sustainable supply chains through training and sales networks.
Rede Asta fairs generated R$ 330,000 in direct sales, highlighted by the Nova Friburgo (RJ) Local Market, which brought in R$ 165,000 in its first year. Local Productive Mobilization supported over 1,000 businesses, generating R$ 2 million in revenue.
Throughout its journey, Rede Asta has forged partnerships with 101 companies, institutes, and foundations, such as the Vale Foundation, Petrobras, Ultra Group, Coca-Cola Institute, Aliança Empreendedora, and Sebrae, aligning its projects with their ESG and social responsibility strategies.
Each new partnership reinforces the organization's commitment to a fairer, more sustainable, and inclusive future: one revolution at a time.
In 2025, Rede Asta continues to expand its areas of operation, with new projects planned across different regions of the country.
Companies, institutes, and organizations interested in developing impact initiatives with Rede Asta can get in touch via our website www.redeasta.com.br or by email at contato@redeasta.com.br.