Ergonomic benches for Mexican backstrap weavers

To our generous donors,

Thank you so much for your kindness in support of Synergo Art’s efforts to implement the ergonomic weaving bench project in Mexico.

Two of Synergo Art’s highest priorities when it comes to development are full transparency and working collaboratively with local communities. With this in mind, we are sad to report that this project is being deactivated until we secure a firm commitment from a local collaborating organization in Mexico.  Although Mexican indigenous artisans have consistently expressed interest in the project, to date, necessary collaborations with local organizations have not come to fruition.

We have used the funds raised through August 2009 to help create bilingual educational resources including: a weavers’ training manual, a carpenters’ training manual, templates, engineering diagrams, and a 10-minute educational video (now on YouTube, please see links below).

Funds raised since September 2009 will be reallocated to the Synergo Arts weaving bench project in Guatemala. This project aims to enable the local people to carry on independent of outside support.  For an exciting update from Guatemala please click the link below.  If you would rather that your donation be applied toward another GlobalGiving project, please let us know by September 23rd. If you are interested in further discussing our decision or our grassroots approach to working with indigenous communities you may contact us at info@synergoarts.org.

Thank you for helping us help artisans protect their health, increase their income potential and preserve their culture.

Sincerely yours,

Synergo Arts

Links:

• Latest update from the bench project in Guatemala
• Educational video in English (~10-minutes)
• Educational video in Spanish (~10-minutes)

Networking update: The organization in Chiapas, Mexico that contacted Synergo Arts to propose a collaboration at the end of last year continues to express interest in the ergonomic bench project.  Alas, though, they've had internal changes in personnel and program priorities which are delaying the potential collaboration.  While leaving the door open with that organization, Synergo Arts is now, once again, working to identify other opportunities for local partnerships through which to give the local indigenous people access to this project.

We are continuing to work toward this goals because our ongoing contacts with individuals and small groups of indigenous Mexican weavers continues to verify that the people themselves want to have access to the ergonomic bench!!  The missing ingredients are (1) funding, and (2) a local collaborating organization. We welcome your ideas for securing these missing ingredients.  Please share your thought by email (info@synergoarts.org), or email me at that same address to set up a date for a phone conversation. 

Video now on YouTube: Have you seen our 1-minute demo of backstrap weaving with the ergonomic bench?  To view it on YouTube, please click the link below!

Exciting opportunity: Thank you so much for your support.  In case you'd like to donate again (and we hope you will!) I wanted to let you know that on June 15th, globalgiving.org will be matching all donations at 30% up to $1,000 per donor per project while funds last.  (Please note: donations made on globalgiving.co.uk or any GlobalGiving corporate sites including Nike, Global Action Atlas, etc. are NOT eligible for matching.)  There will be $75,000 available in matching funds. If you would like to participate in this opportunity, we encourage you to get donations in early, because matching funds will likely run out before the end of the day.

Links:

• bench project video now on YouTube

I am excited to share with you the news that a potential collaborator in Chiapas contacted Synergo Arts late last year.  We are in the very early stages of sorting out the possibilities for how we may be able to work together to enable the local people to implement the bench project in Mexico.  One of the early steps is likely to be meeting on-site with that organization, weavers, and carpenters from the community.  I'll look forward to keeping you informed as this possibility evolves.

Thank you for your patience during the long trajectory of getting this project moving in Mexico. To read about the kind of success we are working toward in Mexico, please visit this link to the January update from the bench project in Guatemala: http://www.globalgiving.org/projects/artisan-backstrap-weaving-women-health-culture/updates/ .

Happy new year!