NOW is a GREAT time to DONATE!  

All donations to this project will be matched, doubling your donation & impact!

THE CHALLENGE

In countries like Guatemala it can be hard to be a mother. More than half of the population lives in poverty, and Guatemala has one of the highest child malnourishment rates in the western hemisphere. Most children living in rural areas don’t receive an education after the 6th grade. W4's field partner Friendship Bridge is working at the root of these issues, and offers opportunities through their Microcredit Plus program which combines microfinance, education, and health services for women living in poverty.

The SOLUTIONS WE'RE PROPOSING

This year W4's field partner Friendship Bridge is expanding their Artisan Market Access Program which provides training to their artist and artisan clients. Investing in artists and artisans means investing in a form of economic development that has deep meaning rooted in the uniqueness of people and their cultures. These weavers, embroiderers, designers, and artists create the beauty and color  Guatemala is famous for. In this program, these women receive training to take their products to new markets, learning skills such as production cost, quality assurance, and buyer expectations.

Your donation will help hundreds of artisan clients expand their education and business skills.

THE IMPACT OF GIVING

Your gift is the gift of opportunity for an artisan entrepreneur. You will receive a handmade artisan item for your donation, depending on the level you give:

• $35 - Provides measuring tapes for educational training. You’ll receive 2 handmade coasters by our artisan client Juana
• $75 - Sends 10 clients to a basic artisan trainings in Sololá. You’ll receive a beautiful embroidered zippered bag created by Rosario.
• $150 - Provides calculators as educational tools for artisan clients. You’ll receive Candelaria’s Dream Scarf, hand-woven as a symbol of women’s strength!
• $300 - Sends one client through a year-long Intensive Artisan Training. You receive a beautiful corte apron by Ruth, created from upcycled traditional corte skirts worn by Mayan women.
• $500 - Supports one learning experience field trip to the city of Antigua for 12 artisan clients. You receive a handmade suede clutch created from an upcycled huipil, the traditional hand-woven Mayan blouse.
• $1000 - Empowers 30 clients to present for the first time at a wholesale trunk show. You’ll receive a beautiful multi-purpose indigo textile, hand-woven on a foot loom by Marcela.

WHY FUND US?

Friendship Bridge believes in a hand-up, not a hand out. By donating, you are supporting sustainable solutions to poverty. We give our clients the tools to succeed. Friendship Bridge clients learn the skills to invest in their futures and their families, empowering them to create for generations to come. While Guatemala slides further into poverty, our clients are financially improving! By supporting Guatemalan women, you are part of the solution to end poverty! Offer the gift of opportunity and empowerment today!