Lonny featured Mercado Global in their Global Giving section as one of ten companies working to make a difference around the world.  Congratulations to the other awardees for their commitment to social change!

Happy International Women’s Day from Mercado Global!  

At Mercado Global, we celebrate the success of women every day. In California this week, Ruth spoke at Stanford University, Menlo School, and a variety of other institutions and gatherings to share our impact changing the lives of mothers in Guatemala.

The week started at Stanford’s Women’s Social Entrepreneurship Panel, titled “Making a Difference in the World.” The panel was moderated by Sheryl O’Loughlin, Executive Director of the Center for Entrepreneurial Studies at Stanford Business School. Ruth shared the stage with three other women leaders in social entrepreneurship in a discussion about the power of women in this field. The group also talked about the different models of social entrepreneurship (non-profit, for-profit, and hybrid), as well as the challenges and opportunities female entrepreneurs face. Ruth says of the event, “It was great to connect with other women who are passionate about making a difference!”

Pictured: Ruth, with panelists (R-L) Erin Erin Ganju, CEO of Room to Read, Anne Marie Burgoyne, Portfolio Director of the Draper Richards Kaplan Foundation, and Jennifer Carolan, Co-leader of the New Schools’ Seed Fund.

While a lot of the world is just coming around to realize it, artisan
work is the way of the future and thus possesses a role in the
zeitgeist. Not only is artisan work becoming a valuable tool for
social progress, but also a mode of reclaiming age-old techniques,
paying tribute to identity through time-honored tradition. A
“slow-fashion” movement is on the horizon.

This is what I believe, at least.

My experience working with Mercado Global in the indigenous highlands of Guatemala was the perfect bridge between my prior travel experiences and fashion-designer background.  What struck me most was how enthusiastic everyone from the Mercado Global staff to the artisans were. There was a sense that “something good” was happening and people seemed excited about their role in it. The environment was enlivening in and of itself and I was furthermore inspired by the beautiful Mayan textiles I was surrounded by. Whether it was an antique huipil or a brocade swatch, I immediately saw potential for their uses. I discovered various dye and weaving techniques that I had previously only heard about offhandedly. A new world of color and pattern was constantly unfolding before my eyes. I often simply stood and stared at the textiles, creating mental color stories and concepts before jumping into designing the collections.

Mercado Global has been a new and thought-provoking adventure for me.
Having had the great fortune of extensive travel around the globe
witnessing indigenous populations, it’s been nice to finally put my
experiences to practice in a form that melds with my own identity as a
designer.

Working on our accessories line, Cecilia has been working with our artisans on technical training programs.  With her support, Mercado Global will be soon launching a new line of covers for kindles, ipads, and laptops. Stay tuned for Cecilia’s blog later this month!

Cecilia and Lillian!

Maria Vilma, the head of the cooperative behind these pillows, was thrilled to see her work in a US magazine!

One of the highlights of the day was when six cooperative leaders signed micro-loan agreements for new industrial sewing machines. These sewing machines increase the cooperative’s production as well as the quality of materials each cooperative is capable of making.  Over the next few weeks artisans from these 6 communities will join us in our office for formal trainings on their new machines.  Check in with us soon to hear more about these trainings!

The celebration was an opportunity for us to thank the women who are truly our inspiration. Being together also made us think of how grateful we are for our supporters.  Your commitment to our mission makes us truly appreciate the opportunities we can create for these wonderful women!

]]> http://mercadoglobal.org/2011/12/happy-holidays-from-mercado-global/feed/ 0 http://mercadoglobal.org/2011/12/barbara-quieju-on-why-educating-women-is-the-solution/ http://mercadoglobal.org/2011/12/barbara-quieju-on-why-educating-women-is-the-solution/#comments Thu, 15 Dec 2011 23:24:04 +0000 Nora http://mercadoglobal.org/?p=1914

Dear friends,

Bárbara leading a business training in one of our partner communities

My name is Bárbara Rebeca Ajtujal Quiejú and I am the Business Development Trainer at Mercado Global. When I was a child, my father told me that I was not worth educating. Because  of this, he would not let me attend school. I saw my neighbors with their backpacks and I was sad because I really wanted to learn. I begged my parents to go to school. Finally, when I was nine years old, my parents said I could attend school in the morning if I worked in the afternoon to pay the cost of my school fees myself.

I worked really hard because it was a dream of mine to learn. In those days our grandparents told us, “You are a woman–you can’t do anything.” But when I was in high school, I took a test and got a scholarship to go to university. I was so proud to graduate and get my diploma.

I love my job at Mercado Global because I get to help women and communities like mine.  The training from  Mercado Global helps the women learn how to make a better future for their families.  Through the income from Mercado Global sales, they can afford to send their children to school to become professionals and have opportunities like I did.

Training helps our artisans to discover the leader that they have inside themselves.

I want to say thank you for helping provide this support. Your donation really does make a difference. Click here to give our community-based business training program so that we can help more women develop the skills they need to provide a better future for their families. You can be the reason women like me realize their dreams and succeed.

Gracias por su apoyo,

Bárbara Rebeca Ajtujal Quiejú

Exquisite jewelry, accessories and home décor handcrafted by Mayan women of Guatemala, featuring the latest styles.   Contact milly@mercadoglobal.org for further information.

Can’t make it to a Trunk Show?  Shop our collections online here.

]]> http://mercadoglobal.org/2011/11/give-the-gift-that-gives-and-visit-a-mercado-global-holiday-trunk-show-this-weekend/feed/ 0 http://mercadoglobal.org/2011/11/design-a-difference-fellow-chrissie-lam/ http://mercadoglobal.org/2011/11/design-a-difference-fellow-chrissie-lam/#comments Fri, 18 Nov 2011 21:30:03 +0000 admin http://mercadoglobal.org/?p=1820 In October, we were delighted to host our first Design a Difference Fellow, Chrissie Lam.  Our Design a Difference Fellowship facilitates partnerships between women designers, rural artisans, and consumers to build a better world through design and sales collaboration.

Chrissie, a Senior Conceptual Designer for multi-billion dollar fashion companies including American Eagle Outfitters, has been successfully connecting designers with causes for philanthropic collaborations for the past three years.  Her new venture, The Supply Change, takes collaborations to the next level by connecting global fashion brands with artisans in developing economies to bring socially-conscious fashion to the mainstream consumer.  During her week with Mercado Global, Chrissie worked with our artisans and our Director of Design and Product Development, Courtney Hardt.  Here is her account:

Hola from Lake Atitlán!

This Guatemalan town is my home for the week. I’m very lucky to be here.  Torrential rains and landslides made the roads leading to Panajachel impassable for over 2 weeks, but the sun finally decided to come out two days before I arrived.
The view is breathtaking!  Courtney meets me at my hotel in Santa Catarina on Sunday and we have a very productive brainstorming session on the veranda overlooking the lake as the misty afternoon fog rolls in.

Panajachel

A sign embroidered with “Bienvendos a Mercado Global” welcomes visitors to the office.  Stacks of yarn and woven fabrics pile against the walls; glass jars filled with every colored bead imaginable line the shelves while samples and color swatches are scattered about the working tables.  Local artisans have come in for the day to work on new beaded accessory prototypes.

My week with Mercado Global consists of researching and sourcing materials and pattern inspiration at local markets, and pitching concepts for their private line and for one of their main clients.  In the mornings, I perch my laptop on their outdoor balcony and work with the lush green mountains as my backdrop.  The sound of roosters cock-a-doodling becomes my soundtrack. Needless to say, the working environment here is vastly different from my corporate design headquarters in NYC.

During the afternoons, I explore the different communities and local markets around Lake Atitlán via boat and photo-document unique weaving techniques, color use in textiles, and other types of inspiration.  These lakeside villages are very hilly– luckily I’m from San Francisco, so I’m no stranger to hills, but by the end of the day, my legs are sore from climbing and my arms are tired from carrying our loot.
My last day in Guatemala ends in Antigua, an atmospheric, cobblestoned, colonial town.  We visit a local workshop in which an artisan hand-makes matte porcelain beads for jewelry and coats them with a colorful pearl sheen.  I end up picking up a beaded wall hanging for my apartment.  We spend the rest of the day roaming the city’s markets and boutiques, scavenging for quirky and pretty objects.

Many thanks to the girls of Mercado Global for hosting me during my stay and showing me a fantastic time!

Click to read more about her visit.