Artisan Organization: Mayan Hands

Country: Guatemala

Mayan Hands is a Fair Trade nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering Mayan women in their quest to bring their families out of extreme poverty as they continue to live within the culture they cherish. Mayan Hands believes that when provided economic opportunity and income over time, women can build sustainable futures for themselves, their families and communities.

They partner with more than 200 women artisans in 13 communities in the Guatemalan Highlands. Working with Fair Trade for 25 years has brought a change in the lives of the women: they speak out, resist domestic oppression, and, counting on a regular income, have more control over their lives; their families eat better and all their children go to school, some even to the university.

In addition to offering fair wages for their work, Mayan Hands provides other support to their artisan partners, such as micro-lending, training in new skills and techniques, business and leadership development, access to health care, as well as classes in gender role awareness, domestic violence, conflict resolution, herbal medicine, and more.