Where Puvanto came from
The idea for these workshops came from a simple observation: the people who most need clear tax information in Paraguay are the ones least likely to find it written in a way they can use.
A conversation at the Saturday fair
The conversation that started Puvanto happened at a weekly artisan fair in the outskirts of Asunción. A woman selling hand-woven baskets was asked by a buyer whether she could issue a receipt. She said she couldn't — not because she didn't want to, but because she had no idea how the system worked, whether she even needed to register, or what the consequences of not registering actually were.
She wasn't alone. Talking to other vendors at that fair and at others across the region, the same pattern kept appearing: people who had been working for years, sometimes decades, without any formal understanding of their tax situation — not out of bad faith, but because no one had ever explained it to them in accessible terms.
The SET's official materials, while thorough, are written for an audience that already understands accounting concepts. The gap between what the system requires and what small vendors actually know was significant — and it was creating unnecessary anxiety.
Why Guaraní matters
Many of the vendors and producers who most need this information are more comfortable in Guaraní than in Spanish — particularly in rural areas and in communities where Guaraní is the primary language of daily life.
Delivering tax education only in Spanish means that a significant portion of the people who need it most are effectively excluded. Our workshops are conducted in both languages throughout — not with a translator present for one portion, but with both languages woven into the entire session.
What guides these workshops
Education only
We explain how the system works. We do not process paperwork, file declarations or provide personalized advice.
No judgment
People who haven't formalized often have good reasons. Our workshops are a space to learn, not to be criticized.
Real examples
Every topic is illustrated with examples from markets, fairs and rural production — not abstract business scenarios.
Both languages
Spanish and Guaraní throughout every session. No participant should feel excluded because of language.
Clarity about our limits
Puvanto is an educational initiative. We are not a law firm, an accounting firm or a tax consulting service. We do not have a relationship with the SET or any government body. We are not affiliated with any political organization or commercial interest.
After attending a workshop, participants will have a clearer understanding of Paraguay's tax framework for small contributors. They will be better positioned to ask informed questions of accountants or the SET if they choose to take further steps. We help people understand their situation — we do not act on their behalf.
