Between care and business

young Venezuelan women entrepreneurs in São Paulo

Abstract

This article analyzes the collaborative practices and support networks built by young Venezuelan migrant women entrepreneurs in the Metropolitan Region of São Paulo. Faced with multiple barriers to entering the formal labor market –such as the non-recognition of diplomas, linguistic obstacles, and the burden of care work– these women turn to entrepreneurship as a survival strategy. However, their experiences reveal that, although operating under precarious and unstable conditions, these young women construct support networks that go beyond mere subsistence, grounded in cooperation, knowledge sharing, and collective care. Based on in-depth interviews with five women, this study highlights how these practices intertwine economic, community, and political dimensions, revealing alternative forms of labor organization in contexts of inequality. The analysis contributes to the debate on migrant youth, entrepreneurship, and gender, emphasizing the importance of networks in building possible futures.