This co-op of 8 women is located in a remote area 30 km from Chichicastenanago . Chumanzna is composed of an all indiginous Maya Quiche population, 90% of whom are illiterate.
Their primary language is Quiche, although a few understand/speak some spanish.The primary industry is agricultural and back strap weaving.
In June of 2008, we learned that this group was inspired with an entrepreneurial spirit. They shared with us their dream of opening a “thread store” to supply thread to the women in their community. They suggested that this would help other women nit have to travel so far for their supplies, it would help the women’s group financially and would be something they could pass on to their children as a means of support. They had begun to dream and hope.
During the summer of 2009, we helped them begin to think through this process, to collect information they needed and to connect them with a local NGO to help them write their proposal. Our goal to was to help them apply for grants and to help them purchase stock and display cabinets.
What an example of what Fair Trade can do: a little bit of hope sparks dreams of change!
Upon returning to Syracuse, Maurine McTyre-Watts met with Prof. Amanda Nicholson of Syracuse University’s Whitman School of Management to tell her about the Chumanzana women’s dream of a thread store. Prof. Nicholson advises the SU chapter of Students In Free Enterprise (SIFE), which was already involved in other fair trade development project Guatemala.Prof. Nicholson and the SIFE students raised money from the Whitman faculty and administration to fund setting up the store. This past January 2010, McTyre-Watts traveled with Prof. Nicholson and five SIFE students to introduce them to the women’s co-op in Chumanzana Guatemala.
What a week we had! We cleaned, painted, purchased and installed display cases with thread and set up a store front! The students also taught them the basics of how to run a retail business.
In one week this amazing group turned a dirty store-room into a bright and functioning thread store.
Fair World Marketplace is proud to have partnered with the Chumanzana Women’s Cooperative and with SU-SIFE of the Whitman School in this development project!
Artisans
Anastacia Quino Quino
23, with 2 small children. Lives with sister and brother-in-law, their three children, her father-in-law and husband.
Rafaela Morales Morales
35, single mother of two children, whose husband left when she was pregnant the second time. She lives with her elderly father, sister and brother-in-law, nephew and brother who works in Guatemala City.
Maria Perez Pablo
48, married with 7 children, the youngest of whom is 8 years old. Her husband works in Guatemala City buying and re-selling corn and garlic. Her two grown daughters ages 20 and 22 work as housemaids in Guatemala City. Husband returns home once a month.
Izabela Morales Morales
24, married with three children ages 8, 7 and 4 years old.
Catalina Quino Velasquez
50, married, with 9 children. The youngest three children are 14, 16 and 17 years old and live at home which is also shared by both her parents and parents in law. Her husband cultivates corn for a living.
Candelaria Suy Morales
66, mother of 4 children, 3 boys and 1 daughter who died as a child. Both her parents and husband were killed during the civil war violence. One son was killed in Guatemala City 3 years ago and she now cares for her 6 grandchildren, the youngest of whom is 6 years old. Sons and grandson work in the corn fields, 16 year old granddaughter works in Guatemala City as a maid.
Sebastiana Och Morales
55, married with 9 children. One died as a child, 2 work in Guatemala City as housemaids, 2 are married with families, one of which live with her. Her husband lives and works in Guatemala City as a “carrier” (carries things on his back from one place to another).
