Concepcion

We met Concepcion and her three children, Samuel, Nikolas and Elizabeth, in April 2008.

Concepcion does intricate bead work for Creaciones Chonita in Santiago Atitlan, Guatemala. The group provides the materials. Most of the artisans work from their homes while taking care of family and chores, and set their own schedules. They are paid by the piece. Often, they create their own new designs.

Through her work with the group, Concepcion earns double to triple what she could earn elsewhere. In a place where the competition in the markets is so strong that many artisans have to sell their work for less than they can live on, earning a fair wage makes a huge difference. Concepcion has been able to move from the bamboo house she was living in to a new concrete home. She also bought a plot of land next to her new home to build a formal kitchen on, plant a garden, and have a safe place for her children to play.

Creaciones Chonita was started in the 1980's by a woman who was widowed as a result of the civil war. The project’s purpose is to provide work and help people within the community, mainly focusing on widows as a way to support themselves and their families. Today Chonita and her son-in-law Domingo are working with 115 artisans.

[Return]