Woven Guatemalan traditional clothing has been worn by generations of proud Mayan people. Arranging the threads in “jaspe” or “ikat” patterns is laborious and time consuming. Weavers must do this by color in order to achieve the beautiful resulting designs.
This is what thirty-three-year-old Graciela, a separated mother of five children (8-17), does to earn income. Her father died when she was in the second grade and so she only attended school for two years. When she was ten years old, she started arranging the threads for weaving. She married when she was sixteen and separated three years ago.
For fifteen years, she has administered her traditional “cortes”/skirt business, arranging the threads and selling the "cortes” each week in the huge market textile town of Salcaja. She has four employees and can deliver eight “cortes” weekly. Her goal is to enlarge the business. A second Kiva loan will enable her to buy more much-needed thread.
Graciela is the President of the Friendship Bridge Trust Bank “Nuevo Retoño” in the department/state of Totonicapan. There are six other Maya K’iche women in the group who are weavers and seamstresses, and also resell traditional clothing. They appreciate being able to participate in the “Microcredit Plus” program of loans, monthly educational training (health, business, women, and family) and bi-monthly health care services (exams, consults, and family planning).
Graciela and her friends are most grateful for your support!
In this group: Graciela Celestina , Alejandra Isabel , Yolanda Francisca , Tiburcia Vicenta Gregoria , Julia Ramona, Hermelinda Graciela , Evelyn Yanira