Empowering Mayan women through ancient textiles

Human Development Area

Within the area of Human Development we have been working on the methodology of our Women's Circle with the objective of making the women feel that this is their space, a space of trust.In addition, we have reflected on the importance of maintaining constant communication cel phone  with all women artisans,  for us it has been a way to accompany them, accompany us and stay in the territory generating confidence and strengthening our organizational relationship with the groups of artisans.The management and control of emotions, self-esteem, teamwork and conflict resolution, is of most  importance  to move forward and achieve things individually and colective  in our  work in pandemics time. 

Technical-productive area

Within the technical-productive area we have reorganized the area especially production processes and every day we are improving. With all the care measures suggested by the health institutions we have.

1. We have been improving the coordination with the groups of artisans seeking to optimize the spaces of technical-productive training, giving individual advice to solve directly the doubts that appear throughout the process.
2. We have been searching for suppliers of quality raw materials in order to increase the quality of the products.
3. We shared the workshop of basic principles with the group of women Pasbil ta k'abal of the cominity of  Aguacatenango, in the municipality of Venustiano Carranza. This workshop has as main objective,  to learn the use of the tape measure, in this space we could observe an ease in the use of the tape measure, since most of the craftswomen already know and use the tape to elaborate their products. We were also able to see the teamwork and empathy that this group has; the craftswomen who could read and write supported the craftswomen who could not write, these actions help to strengthen the bonds between the members of the group.

 Commercial Collaborations

we continue to work in this area, being a bridge between designers and craftswomen, through ethical and respectful processes of collaboration.

In the community of Choyó, in the municipality of Santiago el Pinar, the collaboration with the designer Andrea Velasco continues, currently working with the combination of colors, they are using a new color palette. More artisans of this group are learning to make pieces innovating in the techniques for the elaboration of new models.

With the group of women artisans from Aldama, we  did some  experimentation with light weaving to produce canvases of different sizes for Grupo Jolc.

In Aguacatenango, in collaboration with Mi Golondrina, we made samples mixing different stitches. Making a new design motivates the artisans to do different things, these processes help strengthen teamwork.

We started planning in the community of Ucuntuc, Chamula the IES Moda Casa de Francia project for the Nuno felting workshop and use of natural dyes. The artisans are happy and very interested in the proposal because they will learn to use lamb's wool in a different and innovative way. Felipa offered to share her knowledge of dyeing with dyes, now the group of artisans began with the identification and collection of different plants, types of mosses and tree shells for the dyeing workshop with natural dyes.

Economic Reactivation

Now, in this context, it is essential to continue working with the economic reactivation of the artisan sector, we continue looking for projects that allow us to do so, such as the Ensamble Artesano initiative in which we continue working, now more from a sales perspective of all the pieces made for this collection whose objective was to support groups of craftswomen.
Impacto in collaboration with 133 craftswomen participated in this initiative, elaborating innovative products using ancestral techniques from the highlands of Chiapas.

Links:

• Ensamble Artesano page

Human development area.

Because we are still whit the Covid19 pandemic no workshops had been held in the human development area.
We Continue to monitoring the situation in the communities that we work, and we keep sending information to the  women, about  Covid19 and health measures.
A Webinar was held by one of us, on August 19, in the Seminar on Gender and Territory ”focused on explaining the value chain and the importance of artisan work in the Highlands of Chiapas.”

Technical-productive area

We are working on a new curriculum for workshops for “ new products”

Commercial Collaborations Area

With all the care and prevention measures, using the health protocols of covid 19, little by little we are carrying out activities for the economic reactivation of the artisanal sector.

In Aguacatenango community the brand "My Golondrina" supported the artists whit some pointers, at the same time in the collaboration area, we restart a production of embroidered blouses whit the group “La flor Tradicional”.

Human Development Area

We stopped continuous visits to the communities in March due to the COVID-19 contingency. However, we have been working to generate content for the upcoming workshops on "Dreams and visions: self-esteem, conflict resolution, leadership". We have placed emphasis on improving the methodology and tools.

Communication has been maintained with different groups of artisans to know how they feel about the pandemic and to keep them informed about the steps they must follow to take care of themselves. In addition, videos, audios and posters have been shared in Tsotsil or Tseltal to update them with the information. We organize food collection to support the most vulnerable communities and economically affected by the health contingency: Aldama, Santiago El Pinar, San Juan Cancuc, Huixtán, Mitontic and Larráinzar.

Technical-productive area

In collaboration with the commercial collaboration area, workshops to manufacture facemasks have been held in two communities: Tenejapa and Huixtán (small workshops have been held each week and we have carried them out wih the necessary health measures).

 Commercial Collaborations Area

We sought for  economic reactivation through the proposal "Artisan Assembly", during these three months it has been carried out with artisans from Venustiano Carranza (Aguacatenango), San Juan Cancuc (Tsajalch'en, Barrio Abajo and Chojchow), Aldama (group of men ) and Zinacantán.

 In Aguacatenango samples have been made for subsequent productions in collaboration with the brand "Mi Golondrina". With Andrea Velasco a virtual group was created to work on a project with the artisans where each one made a sample of products (shorts, girl's dress, boy's shirt, pajamas and blouse). 

 Achievements

Artisans have accepted the information provided in Covid-19 and are carrying out prevention measures.A s for the production of facemasks, it was a new experience and they put into practice the sewing knowledge of previous workshops of the Technical-Productive area. Teamwork and good organization for the creation of these pieces became evident in this case. And finally, it meant a source of economic income for artisans.

With the groups of San Juan Cancuc, Huixtán and Santiago El Pinar, the collaboration with Andrea Velasco was virtually continued. The result was satisfactory because they have adapted to this new way of working.

We are happy and satisfied because there has been an opportunity to learn new digital tools to continue the work. Furthermore, we are highly motivated to continue creating and accompanying these processes.

Team

NGOimpacto

In the area of Human Development, the activities of the year has begun with workshops about teamwork, self-esteem and leadership, which has been important for the new groups, who have not received these accompaniments. The most important thing about these encounters is the conclusions of the artisans women wich are around the benefit or this activities, because it has served them to improve their textile production. This has given them stability and peace of mind, because there is more quality in the work they do.

In the Productive Technical area, the most important thing has been the Hour Counting workshop. Also there has been activities related to the production of textiles: from getting threads to make the balls, warp, start preparing the loom, assemble the loom and start weaving. This awareness of the process has given a reason for women artisans to value and gain confidence in this activity. All this is necessary so that the knowledge generated will serve for future business activities, so they can sell at a better price and in an ethical and fair way their products.

In the Collaboration area, this year the brand Collectiva Concepción has begun to collaborate with Aldama, Chenalhó and Tenejapa with ethical principles, which allows artisans to develop new products and earn income to improve their quality of life.

 We are starting the year very excited and happy for the horizon that is presented to us. 

Team

NGO impacto 

Links:

• http://impacto.org.mx

This year, we have continue working with groups of women in the highlands of Chiapas to strengthen identity, customs and knowledge. The work aim to improve the economic condition of families through the production of textiles, an ancestral practice that is inherited from generation to generation.

This is important in order to  flourish in different areas of its social, economic and cultural situation, it is necessary to have access to the full development of their capacities.

 To carry out this accompaniment, workshops are held on Human Development and and Technical-productive. In these workshops, individual and group processes are accompanied.

 Human Development workshops are divided into three modules: Teamwork, Self-esteem and Leadership. Although the modules are imparted separately, they complement each other. Also, we make follow-ups to ensure that, based on the artisans comments, the workshops address their individual needs.

 For the Technical-productive workshop there are main activities such as the hour counting that are essential to deepen the knowledge of the ancestral techniques of the communities of highlands of Chiapas. It will also support artisans to establish a fair and ethical price for hours invested in work. In this way, the artisans will have full knowledge of the value of their work within the craft market. Concepts as fair and ethical trade are always mentioned in this sessions. 

 This has helped the artisans acquire better capacity of organization and participation in the activities of the workshops. Thanks to your donations, it is possible to continue exchanging knowledge with the communities and, above all, to empower artisan women.

 We thank you for the support you have given us; without this we would not be able to generate the necessary impact in the communities in which we work. Is through your donations that we are able to reach more women and communities. ¡Our team at NGO Impacto wishes you, your family and friends a Merry Christmas and a happy New Year!

Links:

• http://impacto.org.mx