CORR - The Jute Works, Bangladesh (Christian Organization for Relief and Rehabilitation)
For over 30 years, Concern America has been purchasing the skillful crafts from CORR - The Jute Works. This special nonprofit organization states that their goals are in "organizing the poor, neglected, women and indigenous society by providing them proper training to help improve their economic situations, their working skills, and their leadership potential, regardless of caste, creed and race." Concern America is honored to walk with this Coop and their members.
La Semilla de Dios, El Salvador (The Seed of God)
La Semilla de Dios, meaning “The Seed of God,” is a cooperative of artisans of limited economic resources who make a variety of wooden items painted in the famous La Palma region folk art style. Men do the carpentry, women the hand painting and finishing. The cooperative owns a piece of land in the mountains outside of town where they plant and sustainably harvest trees to supply about 40% of their wood. The income of this cooperative provides better nutrition and educational opportunities for their children.
Cucharas Ixchel de Petén, Guatemala (Ixchel Spoons of Petén)
The cuchareros of the Cucharas Ixchel de Petén are a cooperative of rural farmers who were refugees or internally displaced due to the country’s recent civil war. Their gorgeous spoons are hand carved out of the local, naturally hard woods that are native to the humid jungles of northern Guatemala. The woods used are all certified as sustainable, preserving local forests while doubling the income of the cooperative’s families.
María de Nazareth, Guatemala
María de Nazareth is a collective of about 60 widows and teenage orphans, of the Ixil ethnic group, located in the province of El Quiché. In 1990, they founded María de Nazareth, in hopes of overcoming their social, political and economic plight. Their weavings are made on back strap and floor looms, with designs that are specific to San Juan Cotzal. Your purchase provides support and life-sustaining income, while preserving traditional indigenous skills that could potentially be lost forever.
Mujeres Sembrando la Vida, Mexico (Women Sowing Life)
The cooperative of Mujeres Sembrando la Vida (Women Sowing Life) is a collective of artisans in the Zinacatán region of Chiapas, Mexico that formed in 2008. The artisans’ beautiful weavings and embroidery integrate images from their daily lives, most notably the flowers in the numerous nurseries that are found throughout Zinacatán. In addition to the life-sustaining craft income, a full 10% of all sales is re-invested in their cooperative. Help Mujeres Sembrando la Vida artisans grow their business!
Hogar Comunitario Yach'il Antzetic, A.C. "Mujeres Nuevas", Mexico (Community Home Yachil Antzetik, A.C. "New Women")
The cooperative of Yach'il Antzetic support the rights of women and improve their capacity to help themselves make a positive change in their lives, at the same time, training themselves critically and creatively as protagonists of social change. In doing so, they promote the integral development of the women and their self-management capacity through the means of lifelong literacy workshops, manual arts, and organic, ecological and sustainable productions.
Las Abejas de Acteal, Chiapas, Mexico (The Bees)
Las Abejas is Spanish for “the bees.” It is the name chosen by the group because working cooperatively makes more “honey.” In recent decades, most of their families were forced off their land. On Dec. 22, 1997, 45 members of Las Abejas, while participating in a Mass for peace, were killed. Collectively, the group continues their struggle for peace and justice while earning a living through weaving and embroidering.
Learn more about the women of Las Abejas de Acteal and Mujeres Sembrando la Vida by watching our 20-minute documentary Weaving Together Our Stories. In the film you will hear about their struggles and their moving stories of hope through their weaving.