Provide Medical Care to Maya Women Artisans

At Cojolya, we believe that the health and well-being of our artisans are as important as the art they preserve. Each story reflects not only the beauty of the backstrap loom, but also the strength of women who, day after day, balance their family life, their chores, and their passion for weaving. Today we want to share the testimony of Dolores, a weaver with more than 35 years of experience who has made weaving an essential part of her life.
Dolores tells us:
"I thank God because now I see that my work has given me a lot of strength; that's how I feel. I don't feel that I am superior to my work, nor do I boast about it. On the contrary, it has given me strength. Throughout the time I have been working in knitting, 35 years, starting at 17, God has helped me to this point. Many times my husband says to me, ‘Don't work in knitting anymore, you're getting older and you don't have the same strength you had years ago.’ I can't give up my work, because it has seen me grow since I was a child and has accompanied me every step of the way until now."

Her work has not only given her financial stability, but also freedom and happiness in her daily life:
"I feel that my work has given me happiness and freedom. Why freedom? Because when I finish cleaning my house and taking care of my family, I start knitting; after knitting for a while, I go back to my household chores. I feel that it has allowed me to be free in my household activities, happier, and more attentive to my family. There is something special about knitting that personally appeals to me... perhaps the way you concentrate when you make a brocade or how relaxing it is when you hear the sticks clacking on your loom."

Dolores also recognizes the physical challenge that knitting poses in her current life:
"As much as you want to knit all day long, sometimes you can't, because sitting on the floor for long hours tires you out and your back starts to hurt. Here in the village, we say something that translates as: ‘it eats away at your strength’. If you don't pace yourself and work non-stop, you also get exhausted and sick quickly. But thank God this work has given me so much to date and continues to give me, helping me and my family. Today, because of my health and my age, I try to balance it: I weave, I do my housework, I wash clothes... because as women we have so many things to do, we have our hands here and there, and the amazing thing is that we manage it."

Cojolya's health program has been an essential support along this journey:
"Today, thanks to the Association's health program and the fact that I have learned to manage my time between knitting and taking care of my chores, I feel a little more relief. I have access to healthcare with the card that allows me to go to the pharmacy for my medications, and so I am still standing and eager to knit more. My desire to knit continues as long as God allows us to do so. I will visit you at the Association to ask for more yarn to knit."

Thanks to your support, stories like Dolores' continue to flourish. She is an example of resilience, balance, and love for her tradition. Every contribution allows artisans to have access to healthcare, well-being, and the possibility of continuing to weave not only threads, but also hope and a future for their families.