It has come to my attention that many of you do not know or understand how our little jewelry group, now formally “By Happiness Org” came about. Or maybe you saw little Lili and Karyme’s photos and you are concerned about child labor laws...they are NOT the ones working...
Here’s the quick background info:
The first project I created as a Peace Corps Volunteer in El Salvador was an Artisan Youth Group. It was the perfect setup: Myself, a self-pronounced artist, meets a talented, dedicated and kind-hearted young man, who makes jewelry. We hold a town meeting and do a community needs assessment. The lack of job opportunities, especially for youth, is one of the top priorities in Morazan, El Salvador.
We call another meeting: for youth. We ask them what some of their interests are. Many are interested in art.
Peace Corps projects aim to be sustainable. Talented, dedicated, kind-hearted artist (Leo) is willing to teach art...to a group of interested youth...do you see where I’m going with this? I just had to put the puzzle pieces together.
Fortunately, I did A LOT of puzzles in elementary school. (okay, I did that “Last Supper” one in college, Kristen & Katie, but let’s brush that under the table).
Anyway, the project was laid in my lap and I just had to pick it up and make it work. The beauty was that Leo was a community member, so that meant sustainability right there. All I needed to do was connect the right people, organize the meetings, create some project plans...and make them show up. Anyone working in community organization, especially in Latin America, knows how much fun that part is.
Luckily, when push came to shove, I shoved (figuratively) and I managed to keep the group motivated.
When Leo’s lent supplies were running low, I applied for a grant from the US Embassy. It was the first grant I have ever written and I couldn’t write it like I write these darling blogs, but something went right and I won. We purchased some basic materials, strings, tools, wire, pliers, storage bins and beads...and got to work.
After 6 months of hard work, some Embassy representatives took the 5 hour journey from the capital of ES to our farmland to see us in action. We even made the Embassy page. Later, they invited me to sell our stuff at the National Fairgrounds and US Embassy building. Then, all my Peace Corps friends and office bought the rest.
We started small. We were using string to weave bracelets. Then Leo taught us how to make earrings with wire. We kept growing.
In 2011, I heard about Fomilenio, a group run by the Millennium Challenge Corporation, funded by the US Government. They were providing small workshops to under-privileged communities in ES. One of them involved artisans. I called. I wrote. I applied. Finally, I heard they would be visiting a nearby town. I got on the bus and I showed up to that meeting. They were teaching a group of women how to sew and knit. At the end of the meeting I approached these collared-shirt wearing men and said “listen guys, Ima need you to come to my village asap” more or less.
And they did.
My collared-Peace Corps shirt apparently worked its magic, along with my batting long eye-lashes, but hey, when push comes to shove...
They agreed to teach our young artisan group how to make jewelry from cow horn and seeds. (Not to toot our own horns or anything, but we already were using seeds). No biggie. But in all honestly, I fully accredit Leo and the fine work he had done melding our group into delicate artists, to Fomilenio’s decision to work with us. They saw we had talent, potential & responsibility. And don’t forget about my eye lashes.
So, anyway, Fomilenio provided our group a free 6 month course in how to make jewelry and then how to market it. They also provided us with a fresh set of tables, tools, and equipment to work with. Recalling all of this now, almost a year later, I am smiling. And kinda amazed with the group and how far we have come. Ok, and with myself, to be honest. Now that I reflect on it all...
Back to the point. I know you think you are just shopping. Maybe you feel good about helping a few people. But this sh*t is real. This is a HUGE deal.
During one of my last meetings with our group before I left ES, I asked for the members feedback. And one lady told me “I am grateful to be a member, because it gives me something to do. The two hours I come here every Saturday, I don’t have to cook. I don’t have to wash clothes, or sweep, or walk the kids to school. I can make jewelry. And talk to my friends.”
You see, we take for granted, our freedom in the US sometimes. This is not a sob story. This is the truth that I saw with my own eyes for 2 years. And its just what it is.
Most people in rural ES, especially women, don’t have opportunity. They don’t even see it. There are no options. They are house-wives, mothers, care-takers, cooks and cleaners. Don’t get me wrong, they are proud, and they have every right to be. But sometimes they don’t realize, they are something more.
They are artists. They are athletes. The are smart and funny and are allowed to laugh! But they often do not see that.
By Happiness gives them that.
You shopping, means they will keep making more stuff. Which not only means that they have an escape from the routine, but an opportunity. To be someone else. To find out more about who they are. To laugh, to share, to grow.
I know, knowing and living with these women, that THAT in itself is enough. My deepest hopes and desires is that this will be even bigger than that. That the business will grow, they will learn about saving and investing (they have started), and soon they will have their own shop to run. And then, Lili & Karyme and all of their little kiddies will go to college.
That is why we have By Happiness Org today.
No comments:
Post a Comment