Empowering Mayan women through ancient textiles

NGOimpacto was founded in 2013 in the city of San Cristobal de Las Casas, Chiapas. Since then, our collective actions have been aimed at self-management, social entrepreneurship and strengthening productive activities for the local development of 20 indigenous Tsotsil and Tseltal communities in the region of Los Altos de Chiapas. Through the promotion of leadership, empowerment and decision making, we have become an interdisciplinary team capable of linking knowledge among artisans, producers, cooperatives, people and institutions involved.

Aware of the importance of connection, NGOimpacto has become a bridge that promotes the exchange of knowledge, strengthens alliances and collaborations in order to deepen the visibility of the different factors that converge in the direct work with communities. Our mission is focused on women co-creating and transforming new realities through an innovative platform of sustainable development that contributes to the harmony of life (Lekil Kuxlejal, in the Tsotsil and Tseltal languages) of the native peoples. For this reason, we work to reinforce a methodology with resilient strategies and with the capacity to adapt to the constant changes that societies and productive processes face. We highlight the importance of eliminating fragmented visions to give way to a conception of the whole that develops a greater sense of responsibility and directs us to our horizon: The good living or harmony of life, Lekil Kuxlejal.

Through a coordinated effort between different strategic lines, we accompany artisans in their processes of autonomy and self-management, through their textile creation and commercialization. We have generated a process of accompaniment based on our own methodology focused on workshops and facilitations to strengthen their self-esteem and the recognition of their artisan work; understanding of the importance of the Cultural Heritage that their creations represent; technical-productive processes and innovation in design; counting of hours and distribution of work and fair and ethical marketing, as well as activities of expression and communication in different digital and media platforms of their work, the process of creation and sale of their products, and their goals, challenges and dreams as women agents of change.

Throughout 9 years of work, the sustained growth in the number of direct and indirect beneficiaries totals 732 indigenous women artisans between the ages of 17 and 50. The women have an average of 4.5 children each, which represents a total of 3,294 children with the possibility of improving their living conditions.

Links:

• NGOimpacto