Handwoven Natural Fiber Baskets (Pair) - Petén Itza Pride

Artisan Organization: Artisans of Itza

Country: Central America

"I'm Eliza Babarczy, a Guatemalan woman, proud of my roots and everything my beautiful country has given me. Since 2015, I've worked with a small group of carpenters in Central America's largest tropical forest. Our workshop has become known as the Artisans of Itza.

"My mother and I saw the need to create jobs and make a positive social impact in a place where poverty is crushing. We wanted to be an agent of change for people with access to natural wood and help them create beautiful and utilitarian designs.

"We firmly believe we need to teach people how to protect the rich resources of our land. Thus, several young people from a neighboring community are learning the techniques needed for reforestation.

"Over time, our carpenters have gained a lot of experience. In our workshop, we use a great variety of exotic woods from the Peten jungle that are sustainable and certified.

"We are firmly dedicated to making sure that this tropical forest, known as the Mayan biosphere, continues on for future generations.

"We are a small team and are just getting started, but we're pouring all of our energy into the project and are working on making our carpentry shop grow sustainable. We want to help families in our community to get ahead by working with beautiful woods to earn their daily bread.""