Artisans

Santa María Visitación is a small rural community located in the department/ state of Sololá. The Maya “K'iche” population is engaged in commerce with some having convenience stores, internet cafes, small restaurants, moto-taxi businesses while others have pharmacies, bookstores, corn grinding mills, shoe stores, poultry and livestock businesses. Traditional textile and handicraft fabrication are popular as well. The area is slowly developing and many are seeing their standard of living improve.  

In many Guatemalan communities, a culture of machismo remains prevalent, and ideal of gender equality is unfortunately an aspiration and far from the reality. The advancement in society of women is crucial to the development of the country as a whole. Meet Petrona, a woman who is determined to building a better future for herself, her family, and her community.

In the rural area of the Department of Sololá in Guatemala, located in the western highlands, there are many families that are dedicated to agriculture. In these families, women typically are responsible for the breeding of animals and the creation of textiles that are traditional to the area. From an early age, women learn to weave and/or embroider so that in the future they can make their own traditional clothing.  In the municipality of Santa Lucía Utatlán, there are small factories where they make clothes such as pants, shirts, and jackets.

In addition to having one of the largest and most colorful markets in Central America, Chichicastenango is known for its hardworking men and women and K’iche Mayan culture. It is located about 90 miles from the capital, Guatemala City, and has 85 communities within it. Agricultural and artisanal production are among the most prevalent economic activities in the area. Among the artisanal products, one may find looms; figures and drawings; bags; wallets; toys; hammocks; clothes; musical instruments; masks; wooden furniture; baskets; palm hats; leather products such as shoes, bags, hats; jewelry; and candles. For thousands of years, the locals have passed the wisdom about handicraft production from generation to generation. That is how Martina, 41 years old and a mother of six, learned the craft.

Chichicastenango is one of the most important villages in Guatemala. Home to the Quiche Maya civilization, one of the largest ethnic groups on country, this place epitomizes the Mayan culture, history, and traditions of Guatemala. 

Every Thursday and Sunday, the locals flock to what has been deemed the largest market in Central America. Here they sell their products - ranging from traditional crafts, table runners, bags and purses, paintings, and Mayan masks to fruits, vegetables, and other foods to the sale of animals such as chickens, goats, and pigs, among others.

Erika, currently 33 years old, married, and a mother of four children is from this place. When reflecting on her childhood and growing up as the only girl among five boys, she remembers the great affection from her parents. Erika's father has always been engaged in tailoring, making shirts, pants, jackets, among other products. 

Micaela was the fourth of six children. Her father was a day laborer and her mother a housewife. The pervasive machismo culture in Guatemala manifested itself in Micaela's father's lack of support for girls' education - she was only able to attend school until the second grade, and to this day she laments not having had the opportunity to continue. When Micaela was eight, her father passed away due to an illness not treated in time. This was a tragedy for her family, and he had also been the sole provider of the family. Following the passing of their father, Micaela and her siblings found themselves having to ask their neighbors for a donation of firewood or food because they themselves did not have enough.

Investing in women's economic empowerment has been proven to contribute directly to gender equality, poverty eradication, and inclusive economic growth. Women contribute in a very significant way to the economy through - among other activities - their small businesses and ventures. Especially in Guatemala, investing in a woman is investing in a better life for an entire family. 47-year-old Ruth, mother of four, exemplifies this empowerment.

María Paula is a fierce woman who has participated as a Friendship  Bridge client for  15  years,  and she is in her 16  loan cycle.   She  lives  in  the  rural  community called  Caserío Santa María  el  Tablón of the  Department of Sololá.  Maria Paula  recalls  that she  was  forced  to  leave   school  after  only completing  the  sixth  grade. She immediately  began working  with  her father and  brothers  in  the  development of  sewing   products  and  handcrafts,  where she enjoyed working. Currently, María Paula's  father left her a place where  they offer a  variety of textiles and  crafts to  customers  and  pedestrians on Calle Santander  in Panajachel, Sololá.  María Paula is a natural-born craftswoman.   

Santa Lucía Utatlán translates to “place where bamboo abounds" in the Nahuatl language. Paradoxically, however, these days, this plant is far from abundant in this municipality, located in the department of Sololá in the southwestern region of Guatemala.

53-year-old Juana Matilde lives in a rural community of this municipality. Her life has been difficult since her childhood. She grew up in a large family as the eldest of nine siblings. Although Juana loved going to school, her father could only afford supporting her formal education for 1.5 years. She regrets not having been able to continue studying.

Chichicastenango is a municipality in the department of Quiche; it is made up of 86 villages, one of them being Quiejel. This is where 41-year-old Yolanda is from. She is a married mother of two, ages 18 and 22.

Yolanda remembers a childhood that was filled with love and affection from her parents. Still, as she was the oldest child in the family, Yolanda had to work in agriculture and learn artisan work in order to support the family with additional income. She also helped with household chores and with taking care of her four sisters and brother. Yolanda grew up in a humble family, in a small home with adobe walls, a dirt floor, and a tile roof. Thanks to Yolanda's hard work, her siblings were able to receive a formal education.

52-year-old Marcela, who today is an empowered woman who has overcome much adversity, remembers the extreme poverty of her youth. At the age of 10, she was sent to school, but due to being in a large family (she was the fifth born of ten children), Marcela was only able to complete two years of studies. One of her brothers sadly died of measles when he was five years old; the remaining siblings are close-knit and support one another. Back then and still today, Marcela's father earns his livelihood by selling traditional Guatemalan clothes in the market of Sololá. In his spare time, he grows and/or harvests vegetables and basic grains. Marcela's mother takes care of the housework and also produces traditional Guatemalan weavings such as huipiles.