By Carina Vasquez | Administrator Cojolya
Weaving is an art practiced by the women of the community of Santiago Atitlán. This art is part of our culture and tradition and for many years women have had a space where they can find an opportunity to work.
Most of the women learn to weave with the guidance and training of their mother or grandmother and they begin to practice and work in weaving when they are children and still work in the art to this day.
Most of Cojoyla’s weavers have been working on a backstrap loom for more than 20 years and this represents their years of sacrifice and physical effort.
Currently, various weavers suffer from frequent back, arm and hip pains as a consequence of their daily work and of many years working at the loom. Because of the economic situation and the lack of public health centers in the community, most women do not take care of their health or do not carry out medical check-ups, which has generated arthritis problems in most of the women weavers in Cojolya.
Our health program generates the benefit and support to give women the opportunity for medical attention and to continue being independent and working on what they enjoy, especially taking care of extreme pains caused by arthritis or other types of illness caused by years of working in weaving. In this way they can continue to support their families financially through their work because weavers are the pillars of their family.
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