Cotton Macrame Tote Bag in Ivory and Honey from El Salvador - Happy Day

Artisan Organization: Fatima Dawson

Country: Central America

"My name is F√°tima Dawson, and I am a Salvadoran artisan. I had a childhood filled with love, living with my maternal grandparents, aunts, and my mother; I never knew my father. My mother and grandmother are teachers and have always been very creative, which is where my love for creating and using my creativity in everything I do comes from. From a young age, I was outgoing, enjoying interacting with people, learning new things, and crafting with whatever materials were at hand. As I grew older, I started adding unique details to my clothing, doing crafts to decorate in my free time, and painting. However, my entrepreneurial journey began almost inadvertently.

"In 2021, during the pandemic, the anxiety of being confined and not knowing what the future held affected me. On one of those anxiety-filled days, while talking on the phone with my mother, she mentioned that she had learned to make macramé when she was in school. I found it intriguing and decided to learn as well. I began learning from my mother through video calls. Later, I took the initiative to watch tutorials online, and little by little, I became proficient. I absolutely loved it! It brought me peace and strengthened the bond with my mother. From a negative situation arose a new adventure in 2021.

"What I love about macramé is that it allows me to create different pieces and infuse them with my personality and creativity. I find inspiration from many sources, whether it's observing a reference, a landscape, or seeing my mother create as well. Inspiration often arrives unexpectedly, from places you least expect or where you don't actively seek it. This new venture hasn't been easy. It's always a challenge, but my determination to move forward helps me overcome each step I take.

"My dream is to see my products crossing borders, with people recognizing my pieces at first sight. I hope this allows me to create job opportunities for women whom I can teach the art and work with me. I want to continue improving my technique every day and craft unique pieces that are also appreciated for the beautiful work done in El Salvador.

"Each piece I create is infused with love, hard work, and dedication. With each item, the customer takes a little piece of my essence as an artisan. It's a labor-intensive process that takes hours and hours of work because I solely rely on my hands, but the final result is worth it. When people see the piece, they'll witness the reflection of the person who meticulously crafted it, standing or sitting for hours to achieve the final result.

"I am grateful for the support and opportunity that Novica has given me to be part of this family of artisans. Thanks to this, many more people will discover my art and believe in my work.""