Current Deputy Director of the Bilateral Private Sector Development Program of the Department for International Development (DFID) of the United Kingdom. Ms. Velez’s work focuses on the participation of small urban and rural entrepreneur from non-traditional economic activities into national and international markets. Her contribution to this program has helped to improve market access for over 34 partner associations and 100,000 plus indirect participants. A strong believer in the role of business climate in entrepreneurship, Egda developed (2006) a pilot model to construct through participatory processes the construction of public and private business climate agendas at a municipal level. Moreover, this model was replicated and implemented nationwide in 2007 by the Government of Nicaragua.