A textile collective for Eldorado-Diadema, Brazil

Our team’s efforts to encourage greater independence within the collective are showing positive results. The group has remained focused on boosting local sales and organising fundraising activities within their own community. November and December were particularly busy but rewarding months, with much energy directed towards Christmas sales as well as joyful community events.

One notable initiative to increase local sales in a community with limited spending power was the installation of a product showcase in ACER’s reception area, where it would be visible to visitors. The group took great pride in decorating the space with balloons and streamers to create a colourful and welcoming atmosphere for the official launch of the showcase on October 25, which was a resounding success, both as a way of promoting the collective and of raising funds through selling handcrafted items at a wide range of prices. Shortly after the launch, they announced a follow-up event on November 29, this time featuring Christmas-themed products, and this was also well received. In another successful initiative, they are holding raffles for special items such as a beautiful patchwork quilt.

On November 8, the group took a trip to visit their former teacher, Carol, at her family home in the country, about 70 km away. Since the women rarely travel beyond the greater metropolitan area of São Paulo, the excursion was a wonderful experience for them, bringing back memories for some of a happy childhood spent in the country in the north east of Brazil before their families migrated to São Paulo.

Another highlight came in December when the women gathered at ACER for a social gathering where they received certificates of attendance for the year and Dona Jacira was presented with a birthday cake in celebration of her 77th birthday. Later, they held a smaller, informal end of year celebration in their workspace, exchanging gifts of purses embroidered with ‘Eldorado Têxteis 2025’, and in January they held another social for the five women whose birthdays fell during that month.

The photos posted by the women on their WhatsApp chat captured their sense of fun and camaraderie as well as their enjoyment and pride in participating in these events. A heightened spirit of motivation and self-confidence is emerging within the group, fostering a growing sense of self-determination that will surely support their continuing journey towards long-term sustainability.