Why this Project is Important

Potential Long Term Impact

As has been demonstrated by the pilot project, the ergonomic bench helps women increase their family income, safely. This project helps 200 women provide better nutrition & education for their children, and at the same time protect their own health.

Project Message

What used to take me three days to weave now takes two. With the bench I can weave for hours with no pain! My weaving comes out better, with straighter edges and more evenly packed weft.
- Maria, Project beneficiary

Who is Running This Project

Synergo Arts's Current Projects on GlobalGiving

Give Ergonomic Benches to 100 Mexican Weavers

Where this Project is Located

Country

This project is located in Guatemala and can also be found under Economic Development.

For more information about Guatemala, read the Human Development Report on Guatemala or the Wikipedia entry for Guatemala.

When this Project was Updated

Last Updated

This project was last updated on December 02, 2008.

Date Added to GlobalGiving

This project was added to the GlobalGiving project catalog on August 14, 2007.

Latest Update from the Field

filming the video; article in Fiberarts magazine

By Karen Piegorsch - Project Director, December 02, 2008 08:53 PM

I am grateful to be able to report that the last two weeks of November were spent filming scenes for the educational video for carpenters and weavers. The generosity of GlobalGiving’s donors has been instrumental in making this possible! I’ll be devoting the rest of this year to “post-production” tasks for the video and to raising funds to enable Synergo Arts to finish preparing the other essential educational resources for the carpenters and weavers.

The most immediate priority is to be able to offer the start-up kits so that carpenters can make the benches for the women. Hand-in-hand with that, we need to be able to implement train-the-trainer programs so that weavers can help each other learn to use the bench.

On behalf of the project and myself personally, I want to take this opportunity to express my gratitude to everyone whose support is making it possible for Synergo Arts to fulfill this project. Thank you!!

I also want to mention that there is an inspiring article in the current, Nov/Dec 2008 issue of Fiberarts magazine (pages 52-55). It describes the weaving-bench project as an example of the healing potential of ergonomics in the lives of artisans who depend on their craft for survival. The article emphasizes the importance of ergonomic design to enhance creative flow and personal expression along with the more obvious benefits to health and earning potential. If you have a chance this month, please take a look at the article and share it with others who would be interested learning about in this empowering project!

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