Welcome to our global maker-to-market movement where, together with 20,000 artisans, we ignite social change. We create opportunities for individuals, families, and communities in developing countries to thrive through strong relationships, fair wages, safe working conditions, and sustainable practices.
Whether they are carrying art supplies, toys, or freshly sharpened pencils for their first day of school, the Striped Puppy Backpack is ready to lend a helping paw. This sweet backpack is handcrafted by artisans working with our fair trade partner Ruth and Naomi in Guatemala. Formed to create jobs for women widowed by civil war, the group continues to provide economic and educational opportunities for the community.
HANDCRAFTED IN GUATEMALA
SKU: 8810000
THE MAKERS
The weaving cooperative Ruth and Naomi is located in Chontola, near Chichicastenango. The project emerged out of the terror and desperation of Guatemala’s civil war. With the help of a local Methodist pastor and his wife, some widows banded together to support their families through sales of the community’s traditional woven crafts. Of the initial group of 18 women, all had lost husbands, fathers, or both to the government’s “scorched earth” policy of the 1980s. The name was chosen because it spoke of two widows from the Bible who were without resources, but who worked and survived.Scholarships make it possible for teens to complete high school in Chichicastenango while living in the project compound. Some have gone on to complete university degrees. The project has also started a health and nutrition center. Ten Thousand Villages has purchased products from Ruth and Naomi since 1993.
Tenthousandvillages.com