Strong Hands: Women Fighting Poverty with Clay

Through this project, Cynnal supported the development of a community ceramics group in Piruaj Bajo, strengthening women’s skills, income generation, and long-term sustainability.

The group participated in three formal training sessions, focused on:

• The production of traditional ceramic water jars (tinajas), and

• Animal modeling, a culturally meaningful and marketable craft.

As a result of this training process, the group is now successfully producing and selling ceramic pieces, generating income from their work.

The ceramics group is made up of 10 women. To further strengthen local capacity, two participants traveled to the city to attend an advanced ceramics course, bringing new techniques and knowledge back to the group.

Since October, all project funds have been allocated to the construction of a dedicated workspace. At present, the women work outdoors under a tree, where their pieces are exposed to damage from animals and weather conditions. The new workspace will provide a safe, stable, and dignified environment for production and storage.

Construction of the workspace is underway and is expected to be completed by mid-2026. Once finished, it will significantly improve working conditions, reduce losses, and support the long-term continuity of the ceramics initiative.

This project is strengthening women’s economic autonomy while preserving traditional knowledge and creating sustainable livelihoods in Piruaj Bajo.