Hilda Elizabeth, who has worked with Mercado Global since 2018 as our Training Facilitator, cultivates close relationships with artisans from our cooperatives, training them to advance their technical skill sets while giving empowering talks on leadership and how to prevent domestic violence.
Overcoming her personal experience with violence has given her the strength to inspire and help other women in similar situations.
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Este año, Guatemala cumple 200 años de independencia, pero para nuestros pueblos indígenas han sido dos siglos de exclusión de la real participación en el sistema político. Este bicentenario, más que una celebración, es una oportunidad de pensar en una Guatemala diferente: un estado plurinacional con representación indigena.
Guatemala es un país pequeño pero diverso en el cual hablamos 25 idiomas, cada uno con su cultura distinta. Somos Mayas, Ladinos, Xincas, y Garifunas. La mayor parte de la población somos indígenas, pero esto no está reflejado en nuestro gobierno. Cuando hablamos de un estado plurinacional es hablar de que las propuestas que están saliendo desde nuestros pueblos originarios, es hablar de un país cuyas leyes y gobierno representan nuestra población diversa y multicultural. Cosa que no ha habido actualmente.
En 1821 cuando se firmó la independencia, nada cambió en la estructura del país y los pueblos indígenas siguieron siendo sometidos a trabajos forzados. Nos han vendido la idea que somos el tercer mundo, subdesarrollados, mientras otros países aprovechan de nuestros recursos naturales. En los años 1950s, cuando nuestro presidente promulgó una reforma para la recuperación de tierras para los campesinos, fue golpeado por los militares con el apoyo de la CIA, para que grandes corporaciones puedan seguir explotando nuestra tierra. Este golpe inició una guerra interna de 36 años donde más de 200,000 personas fueron matadas o desaparecidas, la gran mayoría personas indígenas. En 1996 firmaron los acuerdos de paz, donde prometieron derechos indígenas que no llegaron a pasar. Hoy en día los pueblos indígenas nos estamos despertando.
Me involucré dentro de mi comunidad para ser parte del cambio. Trabajo con Mercado Global, una ONG que empodera a mujeres indígenas para ser líderes a través de manejar su propia cooperativa de tejido o confección. Enseñamos temas de liderazgo, independencia financiera, emprendimiento, y salud reproductiva. Como capacitadora, manejo 14 cooperativas en tres departamentos de Guatemala, y he visto grandes cambios en estas comunidades rurales. Estas mujeres van abriendo su mente, y cuando ellas están empoderadas, se meten, hacen cambios, y ahora van a tener una voz en su comunidad.
Vi este cambio en María, una artesana de Totonicapán. Cuando empezó con Mercado Global, María era muy tímida y no salía de su área de confort. Al participar en nuestro programa, se empezó a interesar mucho y llegó al puesto de ligereza y ser nuestra capacitadora en tejido. Con esta confianza, empezó a participar más en el desarrollo de su comunidad. Se fue a reuniones comunitarias de su comunidad en el grupo de líderes COCODE, el gobierno indígena local en su comunidad, y representó a su familia. Cada año cambian el grupo de líderes, y el próximo año, María se autonombró a juntar al COCODE. Me impresionó bastante, y ella me dijo que se dio cuenta que nosotras las mujeres somos capaces de hacer un cambio en la comunidad. Ahora María está haciendo exactamente esto como parte de su gobierno local.
El cambio que Mercado Global está haciendo es como una semilla de mostaza. Parece pequeño, pero cuando germina, los frutos son abundantes. Así es el impacto del involucramiento comunitario. Para tener un estado plurinacional es necesario que la democracia sea participativa, con representación de todos los pueblos, y esto empieza a nivel local.
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This year, Guatemala commemorates 200 years of independence, but for our Indigenous peoples this also marks two centuries of exclusion from real participation in the political system. Rather than a celebration, our bicentennial is an opportunity to think about a different Guatemala: a plurinational state with Indigenous representation.
Guatemala is a small but diverse country, with 25 spoken languages each with its own distinct culture. We are Mayas, Ladinos, Xincas, and Garifunas. The majority of our population is Indigenous, but this is not reflected in our government. When we speak of a plurinational state, it is to say that proposals are coming from our native peoples, it is to speak of a country whose laws and government represent our diverse and multicultural population. This has not been the case.
In 1821 when our independence was signed, nothing changed in the structure of the country and Indigenous peoples continued to be subjected to forced labor. They have sold us the idea that we are the third world, underdeveloped, while other countries take advantage of our natural resources. In the 1950s, when our president enacted a reform for the recovery of land for our native population, he was overthrown by the military with the support of the CIA, so that large corporations could continue to exploit our land. This coup started a 36-year internal war where more than 200,000 people were killed or disappeared, the vast majority Indigenous. In 1996, the peace accords were signed, with the promise of Indigenous rights that never came to pass. Now, we Indigenous peoples are waking up.
I got involved within my community to be part of the change. I work with Mercado Global, an NGO that empowers Indigenous women to be leaders by managing their own weaving or sewing cooperatives. We teach workshops including leadership, financial independence, entrepreneurship, and reproductive health. As a trainer, I manage 14 cooperatives in three departments of Guatemala, and I have seen great changes in these rural communities. These women are opening their minds, and when they are empowered, they step up, make changes, and have a voice in their community.
I saw this change in María, one of our partner artisans from Totonicapán. When she started with Mercado Global, María was very shy and did not leave her comfort zone. As she participated in our program, she became engaged and rose to the leadership position of Weaving Trainer. With this confidence, she became more involved in the development of her community. She began attending meetings with her COCODE, the local Indigenous government in her community. Every year the leadership changes, and the next year, María appointed herself to join the COCODE. She told me that she realized that we women are capable of making a change in the community. Now María is doing exactly this as part of her local government.
The change we are making with Mercado Global is like a mustard seed. It may seem small, but when it grows, it bears many fruits. This is the impact of community involvement. To have a plurinational state, it is necessary for democracy to be participatory, with representation of all peoples, and this begins at the local level.
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As our Guatemalan-based operations director, Lidia is an integral part of Mercado Global, ensuring that our mission to empower women is implemented as efficiently as possible! She has a huge responsibility and commitment towards each person in the organization, especially the artisans that we work with.
Hey Lidia!
Can you tell us a bit about your story with Mercado Global?
I started working here 13 years ago as a jewelry artisan. I loved the experience of creating beautiful things with my hands and upon seeing the finished product my heart would fill with joy! I was later entrusted with the task of coordinating the jewelry department which was a great opportunity for personal and professional growth. Now, as operations director I am responsible for ensuring that the entire mission of Mercado Global is effectively carried out.
What do you enjoy most about your role?
Before working with us, most artisans never had the opportunity to go to school, so witnessing their happiness on the day of their graduation makes me so proud to do what I do! !
What is your favorite part of the workday?
Apart from spending time with my colleagues, I enjoy witnessing the process of turning raw material into beautiful pieces with the hands and effort of empowered and confident women!
What’s your favourite product and why?
Probably the Hermelinda Macramé Bag, as the hands of so many artisans are involved in its creation. I also love the El Paredón Angela Tote too as it’s bright colors are reminiscent of the vibrancy that we love here in Guatemala!
Lidia with her namesake bag!
How do you like to spend your weekends?
I love doing a variety of things! I enjoy embroidery and making outfits for myself and my family. I also love to crochet, to cook, to go hiking in the mountains and to watch the sunrise and sunset.
If you had to describe yourself in one sentence,
what would it be?
Mother’s Day is an opportunity to demonstrate our gratitude to the women who brought us into the world and what better way to do so than to also support the lives of other mothers too? At Mercado Global, every purchase with us contributes to improving the lives of the Latin American artisans who hand make and weave our gorgeous products.
Virginia lives in the San Pedro La Laguna township in rural Guatemala, on the southwest shore of Lake Atitlán. At 52 years old she has two children to care for, but after having her arm amputated, has struggled to find work.
In February 2020, she joined a local Mercado Global group with seven other women, who are known for their dedication and sewing skills. While she joined them with a strong knowledge base, the virtual trainings and camaraderie with her fellow artisans, has taken her skills to another level.
Virginia says, “Sewing used to be difficult when I thought I needed both hands to work. With Mercado Global, I have learned how to overcome what I thought was a limitation, but they have shown me that I can learn and grow through positivity and determination. My goal,” Virginia says, “is to become a seamstress who can demonstrate that despite it all, your dreams can be achieved.”
As long as masks are needed, Virginia has said she will continue producing them for Mercado Global. In her words, “I have a job when I thought I couldn’t work, especially during quarantine when I can’t leave my home. But now, at a time that I might feel depressed or overwhelmed with the issues of the world, I feel useful and I have a sense of purpose.”
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Our Community-Based Education Training Facilitators have been working hard with our artisans to revamp their favorite recipes and include healthier ingredients and food preparation techniques. These changes were based on nutrition guidelines created by our partners in health at Case Western Reserve University/Akron General Hospital. As a result, the artisans have created an electronic cookbook that is accessible to all artisan groups and can be downloaded to a cell phone or tablet. In addition, artisans who participated in the project created short instruction videos that other artisans groups can use to guide them in recreating the recipes. This virtual recipe book has already been shared via email, Facebook, and WhatsApp.
In Guatemalan families, women are the primary caregivers and are in charge of preparing meals for the entire family, which can include elderly parents and other relatives. hen a Mercado Global artisan learns how to prepare a nutritious meal, she improves not only her own health, but those who she feeds.
We would like to share a recipe from one of our newest groups, which was shared amongst all Mercado Global Cooperatives.
Stuffed Peppers |
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Ingredients: |
Directions: |
12 peppers 2 large carrots 1 pound of green beans 1 pound of potatoes 1.5 pounds of tomatoes 1 onion 1 pound of ground beef 1 cube of chicken stock 6 eggs ½ pound of white flour Vegetable oil 2 pounds of rice 1 pound of salt 1 can of sweet corn |
1. Boil a small amount of water. Put the peppers in the water for 1 minute to release the peel. Peel the peppers. 2. For the filling, chop all the vegetables and bring to a boil. 3. In a pan, fry the ground meat with the chopped onion and two tomatoes. When the meat is done, mix in the other cooked vegetables. 4. Stir the vegetables well with the meat. 5. Fill the peppers with the meat and vegetable mixture. 6. Beat the egg whites for one minute, until you have a fluffy white base. 7. Dip each stuffed pepper in the white flour, then into the beaten egg. 8. Heat a pan with a little oil and fry the stuffed peppers. 9. Serve with tomato sauce and rice. |
Guatemala currently has the fifth highest malnutrition rate in the world due to lack of education and income to afford nutritious foods.
After involvement in Mercado Global trainings ninety-three percent of partner artisans report a positive change in their lives, a large part of that change being improved health. Eighty percent of our partner artisans report sharing information learned in trainings with friends and family, meaning your impact is exponential.
]]>For Rosario, the most important part of working at Mercado Global is being able to provide for her family and create a brighter future for her children. Rosario feels confident that her children will be able to secure better jobs in the future because of the education she is able to provide. She hopes that breaking the cycle of poverty now will create better opportunities for her family for generations to come.
“My children can get ahead of life because they are able to stay in school. I hope that I will see my community prosper because of our work."
For Rosario, weaving is not only a profession but also an art that has been passed down through generations in her family. Her mother learned to weave from her mother and was able to pass her skills on to Rosario. It is important to Rosario that her daughters learn to weave as well. While it might not be their job in the future, it is important to her that they keep the tradition alive.
Rosario is not only appreciative of the work she receives as an artisan, but also the technical trainings provided by Mercado Global. She has learned new weaving techniques that she can use to create diverse products and enjoys Community-Based Education trainings, especially those focused on her rights as a woman. Knowing these rights has allowed Rosario to become a leader not only in her home, but in her community as well.
Rosario says that the work of the artisan can be difficult and tiring, but is thankful for the opportunity to work with Mercado Global. She feels extremely fortunate that she has the skills and the ability as an artisan, a mother, and a woman to provide for her family.
]]>“I started working with Mercado Global 7 years ago, and I am one of the original founding artisans. I met Ruth in Xela when we used to sell necklaces, beaded jewelry, and other woven linens. Even though Ruth was only about 18 years old, she gave us the tools to learn and the trainings to improve our products. I was able to learn everything that I know now, even how to make earrings.” This was especially helpful for me, since I had just graduated university after studying Sciences and Letters, and was able to be independent and provide for myself. My father died when I was only 12 years old, and was forced to work during the week so that I could put myself through school on the weekends.
“Working with Mercado Global has given me the education to make new products, so that I am able to provide an education for my daughter. In Guatemala, there is a lot of machismo, and men get jealous when women succeed. It’s not men who are stronger than women, but it’s that we are equal. Here we have a space where we know our rights, our value, and can support each other and learn.” I am able to pass these lessons onto my daughter, even though I’m sure she doesn’t need it. “All of the other children are walking around with their dolls, but Irla walks around with her head in her books claiming that she’s a language teacher. My sister tells me that she’s strange and everyone wonders how she came out like that.” She is very independent and strong, and I know that she will succeed in anything that she wants to do in her life. She pushes me to be a better artisan, and to work even harder.
“Right now we are learning how to make cortes, and I love it.” When I was younger, only men were allowed to work with the looms because they were too difficult for women to use. “But what do men have that women don’t? For me, it’s easy and I am teaching my daughter how to weave as well. ”
In the future, I want to do more weaving and beadwork and have reliable work so that my family can have their own house. Now we are living with my husband’s family, and we are 12 people in a tiny house. Mercado Global has given me the opportunity to be independent, and to truly appreciate the power and value of being a woman. My daughter sees this, and is able to become a strong leader amongst her friends and in her school as well.
Interviewed by Taylor Tomasso
]]>On a warm April afternoon, I had the pleasure of meeting Glendi Patricia Martin Tol, one of fifteen Mercado Global artisans working in the Artesanas Mayas cooperative in San Andres. We chatted outside on the porch of the cooperative president’s home as Mercado Global staff prepared the kitchen for a technical culinary training for the artisans.
Glendi has partnered with Mercado Global for fourteen months and specializes in embroidery work. The 27-year-old mother of two said that this is the first job she has ever had. Until now, her husband has been the only one working, making an income for his family through construction work.
Then, last year, Glendi’s sister told her about the Artesanas Mayas group and encouraged Glendi to learn more.
“I went to see how it was and I liked it,” Glendi said.
She added that she felt joining the cooperative could be a unique, valuable opportunity. She decided to join and now says that she is very happy doing this work and earning an income. While she began with some sewing and embroidery skills, she has since expanded and improved her skills through Mercado Global’s technical trainings.
Although she can’t read or write, Glendi’s eyes sparked with hope as she spoke of her dreams for her children's’ futures.
“My daughter says she wants to be a doctor. That's what she says, but we'll see how it goes, depending on the means,” Glendi said.
As we chatted, Glendi’s 3-year-old son ran and giggled in the yard with the other artisans' energetic children. Glendi told me that her main incentive for working is to be able leave her children with something like a house or land with which they could start their lives and find success.
As Glendi paves the way for her 7-year-old daughter’s future of tending to others’ health, she is also learning how to care for her own. She said that one of the most impactful trainings that she has received from Mercado Global has been a lesson on cervical cancer and how it can be prevented, detected, and treated.
“We liked it because we didn't know some of the things they taught and so thanks to the training we know now,” Glendi Said. “We like learning and we want to learn.”
Glendi said that her favorite part of partnering with Mercado Global, beyond the opportunity to learn and progress financially, is the community that it has allowed her to be a part of.
“I like being with the other women and doing what we do together,” she said. “I enjoy working with them.”
As our conversation closed and Glendi rose to join her friends and co-workers in that day’s lesson, she said she hopes to continue working with Mercado Global in the future. At Mercado Global, we hope for the same: to continue partnering with talented and passionate women like Glendi to help them make them and their children’s dreams realities.
]]>For Maya Guatemalan women living in the highlands of Santa Cruz La Laguna, education on reproductive health and rights can be an invaluable, yet difficult to access, resource.
A steep hike up the shores of Guatemala’s Lake Atitlan, about a dozen women from Mercado Global’s Grupo Cruceñas cooperative congregated on plastic stools in the cooperative’s President Cristina Hernandez de Sajquiy’s clay yard, where chickens and dogs roamed freely. This marked the first training on reproductive rights offered to the women of Grupo Cruceñas.
Accompanied by Aurora Mátzar López, Mercado Global’s Community-Based Education Training Coordinator, Senayda Mendoza led the training. Mendoza is an instructor from WINGS or ALAS, a Guatemala-based NGO that provides sexual and reproductive healthcare support to rural women that Mercado Global is partnering with this year..
Senayda began the program by taping a poster citing articles from Guatemala’s constitution on a corrugated sheet metal wall.Senayda then proceeded to inform the women present – many of whom were rocking children on their laps and breastfeeding – of the reproductive rights and resources that the Guatemalan law affords them.
According to WINGS, Guatemalan women report on average that their ideal number of children would be 2; however, the average number of children the indigenous women give birth to is 3.7. Additionally, WINGS has reported that 1 in 3 indigenous women have no access to health and family planning services.
In a fluid blend of Spanish and Kaqchikel, an indigenous Maya language spoken in the highlands of Guatemala, Senayda informed the women of their right to choose the number and timing of their pregnancies. She also led a conversation about forms of contraception that can help them make these decisions and how to access family planning resources.
Elena Chiyal Tepaz, a Grupo Cruceñas artisan and the mother of one, shared that she does not wish to have any more children due to financial constraints. Because of this, she said that she found the training on sexual and reproductive rights particularly empowering, as it afforded her the information on how to make this choice.
The reactions of the women to this new material varied from giggles and jokes to quizzical looks and downcast stares. Some women responded readily to Mendoza’s questions and others were wary to answer. Judging by their attentive listening, the women saw the value of the information given and took it to heart. The decision to use or not use the education they received will be up to these women, but either way, the opportunity to make that choice is theirs, and that is powerful.
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Nothing brings a smile to Felipa de Jesus Lopez Estrada’s face quite like the topic of her daughters, Gabriela and Victoria. Though she may have just finished discussing her family’s difficult economic situation and the challenges she and her husband have endured, the moment her daughters are mentioned, the worries disappear. A concerned and tired woman is instantly replaced by a beaming mother who can’t contain her pride.
“The oldest really wants to be an astronomer,” Felipa says through laughs, unable to say where the girl got that idea. “She just loves to study everything that has to do with space and stars. She spends all her time looking up at the sky!” Her youngest, she explains, wants to be a lawyer. Despite the pride she feels, Felipa does admit that her daughters’ boundless ambition has created some unease for her and her husband. In order for them to reach their goals, she acknowledges, they will need to keep studying, something that won’t come without heavy costs. And, until a little over a year ago, Felipa did not think it would be possible to provide them with that opportunity.
Felipa’s journey with Mercado Global began last year, when she joined the Ajkem cooperative in her community of San Andrés Semetabaj. She had been with the group years ago, before they had heard of Mercado Global, when they had come together to learn how to use sewing machines. Eventually, Felipa decided she could not keep up with the time commitment and had to leave. She returned when the group was invited to join Mercado Global, and has been an enthusiastic member ever since.
“It has been such a wonderful experience because I have learned so much,” Felipa says. “We’ve made traditional bags, and now we’re learning to use a loom. Little by little, we’re learning new techniques that will be so beneficial to me and my family.”
One program that has been especially valuable to Felipa has been Mercado Global’s Domestic Market Access Program, which has recently been implemented in partner communities. The program teaches partner artisans the skills necessary for success in Guatemala’s local markets. With trainings that teach sewing and weaving techniques, coupled with an education in business management, artisans are able to be more independent and generate additional income through their own local businesses.
Through the program, Felipa has learned embroidery and other useful techniques that she can use for products to sell in her community. Not only does she hope to use this additional income to contribute to her daughters’ education, but she also hopes the new knowledge will benefit them in other ways. “The things I’m learning are great because now I can make things for my daughters and invest less money in clothes for them,” says Felipa. “I am also able to teach them the techniques I am learning so that they can do it for themselves. It has been so helpful for us.”
Mercado Global’s impact within Felipa’s home also goes well beyond the added income generated through new techniques. She also credits the nutrition and personal savings trainings her group has received as part of the Community-Based Education Program for improving her family’s quality of life. “We’ve been taught how to manage our money better, and take note of how much we’re spending on a daily basis,” notes Felipa. “That all helps, because you’re not always aware of where our money goes. You just buy what you think is necessary at the time and don’t put much thought to it.”
The group, Felipa says, has learned how to properly budget as a result of the trainings. That, paired with lessons on health and nutrition, have completely changed how she shops for food. “Sometimes we have the bad habit of buying a soda, for instance, without thinking twice about it. Now I realize how much money goes into that. On the other hand, buying a juice is a lot more cost effective and nutritional as well,” says Felipa.
Going forward, Felipa sees a door of opportunity that she did not see a little over a year ago. Though she and her family still face hardships and the future is anything but clear, her involvement with Mercado Global has provided a path for her to contribute to her daughters’ education.
“More than anything, we want them to study so that in the future, they have a way to defend and provide for themselves,” says Felipa. “Because without an education, life can be very, very difficult.”
]]>Worldwide, women are struggling to obtain equal rights and access to basic health services. As we approach International Women’s Day this year, we are presented with an opportunity to reflect on the communities around the world in which we can help women the most.
Often, the women most affected are those in rural areas, especially indigenous women. As clinics, hospitals, and health centers close down or lack crucial services, it can mean less access to reproductive health care and fundamental health education. Such gaps affect not only women but their entire families. This is the case in Guatemala, where we work to uplift and empower women and families.
Women’s health education and access is more important than ever— especially in Guatemala. Though it is an easily detectable and treatable disease, cervical cancer remains the most fatal cancer among women in Guatemala. Less than 10% of the population is screened every year.
But it doesn’t need to be this way. A woman who is screened just once in her lifetime reduces her risk of cervical cancer by 25-36%. That’s why this year, we want to focus on this simple, life-saving procedure.
Our Women’s Health Program gives women the opportunity to overcome these challenges. We provide mobile medical screenings, education and consultations at no cost to a population that needs it the most. Tailored to the specific needs of isolated, indigenous communities, our community health curriculum covers topics such as women’s reproductive health, family nutrition, and sanitation and hygiene, while providing essential medical screenings for early detection.
Our partnership with Case Western Reserve School of Medicine’s Global Health Program, supports MG staff to develop health curriculum, assist in monitoring and evaluation, and administer key health exams. At Mercado Global, we place the highest importance on building up the knowledge of indigenous women leaders. Providing insights that can alter habits in key health areas is the most effective way to circulate life-saving health practices within rural communities.
This year, our partnership with local NGO Waku Kawoq will allow us to provide even more education and care regarding cervical cancer. Waku Kawoq will administer free mobile screenings and follow-up care for women testing positive, while we will provide monthly education classes that reach near 200 women. Our trainers will travel to our artisans’ communities to deliver education classes, to serve as a support system, and provide a stepping stone toward empowerment and healthy futures.
Join us this year in our #WomenForward campaign as we fight for healthy futures for our artisans and their families. Donations to this campaign will go directly to our efforts in Guatemala to educate, prevent, and treat cervical cancer. Donate to our Crowdrise page or even start your own. Show the world that women’s rights and women’s health access matters. Because when women are healthy, the future is healthy, and families thrive.]]>
One of the first artisans to partner with Mercado Global, Julia Par Yaxon began working with Executive Director Ruth DeGolia when she was 18 years old, and she still has vivid memories of Ruth playing with her oldest son, Sergio Rodolfo, when he was 4 years old. Now he’s about to graduate high school and attend university to achieve his dream of becoming an accountant.
According to Julia, Mercado Global has come a long way since then, as have the women from her cooperative, Tejiendo Conocimiento. Partnering with Mercado Global, they have been able to learn new techniques and improve their products, accessing new markets and a better income. Says Julia, “Mercado Global has allowed us to better understand the story and value behind our traje, our language, and our way of life. We are able to learn the intricate weaving techniques of our ancestors, and preserve our culture that is slowly disappearing.”
In the future, Julia says she hopes to see more demand for the products she makes using these techniques, as her community still suffers. “I hope that more women participate in our cooperative, and aren’t forced to wait for their husband’s income. I know how difficult it is to support my two sons through high school. I see other women that have many small children, and it’s extremely difficult to provide food and clothing while also sending them to school.”
Julia notes that for her, Mercado Global not only provides a source of income, but a reason to be proud of her talents and heritage. “Among our community, we are the leaders and we have a respected reputation as women artisans. Mercado Global has empowered us to be leaders within our community, and given us the opportunity to preserve our culture and make it known to the world."
Fresh carrots and fruit licuados, or smoothies, are essential ingredients in the home of artisan Gloria Liliana Elizabeth Xiquin Sosa of Mercado Global’s Santa Maria cooperative. For Gloria and her family, good nutrition is not a simply a choice, but a necessity.
Many generations of Gloria's family suffer from disease related to poor nutrition. Both of her parents have Type 2 diabetes and her extended family, including her grandparents, uncles, and aunts are also diabetic. “When I was a child, our family’s eating habits were not good,” says Gloria. “We ate a lot of fried chicken, fries, soda. Things like that. Thankfully my siblings and I are healthy now, but looking at our family’s health history, it really makes you think about how important it is for us to eat well now.”
When Gloria’s son Roni was just sixteen months old, he contracted pneumonia, which led to an extended hospital stay. During this time, Roni also struggled with malnutrition, which only worsened his condition and brought about a whole new set of challenges for Gloria. Nursing Roni back to full health proved to be very difficult and highlighted the importance of eating healthy for the family.
From this challenging time, good nutrition has become an incredibly important part of their lives. As a partner artisan with Mercado Global, Gloria receives access to health and nutrition trainings. These trainings have helped her in her mission to improve her family’s eating habits and understand the potential dangers of consuming unhealthy foods. “Many times, I come home after a training and say to my mom, ‘Did you know about this recipe, or that this could be done this way? Let’s try it,’” says Gloria. “The trainings have also helped with feeding my son. Like a lot of kids, he’s picky about what foods he eats. Now, I’ve been learning new ways to make food that he’ll actually eat and enjoy.”
Increasingly, the family is finding that their diet is not only helping them to prevent diabetes and malnutrition, but also making them feel healthy, energetic, and happy. Gloria is often cooking new healthy recipes, and each family member is asking for more of their favorite nutritious ingredients.
In addition to this, Gloria has found that eating healthy has had other unexpected benefits. Mercado Global trainings on personal savings and budgeting, combined with the nutrition trainings, have made her realize that eating healthy is also a lot more cost-effective. “I’ve come to realize that certain unhealthy foods are so much more expensive,” says Gloria. “A can of Coca-Cola, for instance, is about 15 quetzales [about $2 USD], only lasts one serving, and is not at all healthy. If you instead buy a papaya, for instance, it costs only 8 quetzales [about $1 USD] and you get enough for three licuados.” This realization, Gloria says, has helped save her family a lot of money that they can put towards other important purchases.
Cristobalina had never been part of a cooperative before; this would be her first. How would she manage the work, collaborate with the other women, and use her new income to improve the lives of her children she wondered. She felt both nervous and excited at the same time for her journey ahead.
Like Cristobalina, other women artisans are being empowered by Mercado Global’s programs in ways they never thought possible. We see the remarkable results time and time again. From investing income to send their daughters to school or applying lessons from our trainings to create a side business, our partner artisans are becoming agents of change in their own lives and in the lives of their families and community members.
We have found that managing and dealing with change is not always easy. In many cases, our artisans are experiencing many “firsts” — their first cooperative, first leadership position, first savings account, first child to go to school, and the list often goes on.
Doing anything for the first time requires the support of close friends and teachers and self-confidence. And so we have built our most popular and well-received training program around these the fundamental concepts. We call it the Power to Change program.
In the program, women bond over exercises that encourage honest conversations about personal and community challenges, such as leadership and gender dynamics. They discuss barriers to making changes in their lives and those of their families and learn ways to take action to overcome those barriers. After participating in the exercises, the women feel more self-confident and independent, and the group becomes more cohesive and close-knit.
About the program, Cristobalina said, “It has taught me about leadership and self-confidence, and I feel more empowered after every training. It’s never too late to make a change.”
Three years after joining her first cooperative, Cristobalina is a remarkable example of an agent of change. She is a respected leader within her cooperative and community. All of her children are enrolled in school with two already graduated.
“Every day I wake up so thankful for Mercado Global, the work they provide to me, and the new chance they provided for my family. It’s something I will never take for granted,” said Cristobalina with a big smile.]]>
The trip provided opportunities for cultural exchange, but also a chance for the pair to learn more about the barriers our artisans face in the areas of nutrition and women’s health and for Padma to share her experience and knowledge on these topics.
During our first community visit to San Andres Semetabaj, Padma sat in on a women’s health training focused on cervical cancer awareness and prevention. It was a beautiful mix of Spanish, English, and Kakchiquel, the indigenous language of this cooperative, spoken around the room as the Co-Founder of the Endometriosis Foundation of America engaged with the women on their personal experiences and shared her knowledge on the importance of early-detection.
On the third day of the trip, we went to a partner cooperative in the community of San Jorge to attend a training focused on malnutrition. The artisans learned the difference between undernutrition and malnutrition, the importance of a balanced diet, and the dangers of popular sugary drinks and food for children, as Padma provided her personal tips for incorporating healthier foods into your diet. With Guatemala having the fourth highest rate of chronic malnutrition in the world, receiving the education and resources necessary to lead a healthier lifestyle is crucial for our artisans.
Later, the group bridged the gap between language and culture through a love of cooking as Padma and her daughter showed the artisans how to make pickled peppers, straight from Padma’s recent memoir, while the artisans taught the mother-daughter duo how to make traditional corn tortillas.
An advocate for women’s health around the world, we truly admire Padma and her work to empower women to lead healthier lifestyles and were honored for her to experience the Mercado Global model at work.
For more photos of Padma’s trip, check out our Facebook album here.
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In mid-May, Mercado Global held its second set of bi-monthly trainings focused on advanced sewing techniques and healthy cooking. Speaking in their native language, known as Kaqchikel, our two Community-Based Education Trainers made the women feel comfortable and confident in learning new skills and information about their important everyday decisions. Despite their early morning shyness, the women opened up during the day, sharing their experiences along with smiles and laughs as they practiced sewing and stirred the ingredients of the day’s recipes.
These trainings are exemplary of the two types of classes offered by Mercado Global — those focused on technical careers and those focused on empowerment. Through technical trainings, women discover ways to advance their careers as sewers and weavers, while the other classes equip them with important life skills, such as financial management, nutritious cooking, and leadership.