May is the month of Mother's Day, not only in the U.S. but also in Guatemala, on May 10. Mothers are a significant part of our Manos Cruceñas artisan community, so we celebrate them all year round! Our artisans are our foundation. Our goal is to provide an opportunity for women and mothers to be trained and earn money for their families by making products for Manos Cruceñas to sell. Meaningful work at a meaningful wage. We pay them for their labor when they deliver the finished products, not when they are sold. And we also provide them with the materials and some of the tools they need to create them.

They can work at home during their spare time, depending on the product, while still being able to take care of their families as needed. Babies can be swaddled in rebozos on their backs while the mothers weave a scarf or create beaded jewelry. Children can play quietly nearby while their mothers work but still keep a watchful eye. Moms are available to give a hug or a snack or wipe away a tear. Sometimes younger children will come with their mothers to the Amigos CECAP building and sit quietly while their mothers work at the sewing machines or take a class to improve their skills at the CECAP training center.

Here are a few stories about our artisan mothers.....

Candelaria creates all our tassels which make each of our bags and pillows so very special. She is also a very skilled embroiderer and assists in creating embroidered embellishments for many of our products. Candelaria is 23 years old and the mother of two children. As seen from this photo, her smile is so infectious!

Marta Florinda took several of our CECAP sewing classes and now she is one of our top sewers. She makes all our samples along with many of our production items. She is such a joy to work with! Marta Florinda is 22 years old and just had a baby! Congratulations, Marta Florinda!

Rosa is one of our master beaders. She creates jewelry and other beaded products for Manos Cruceñas. She is always willing to learn new techniques. Rosa also gives beading classes to tourists and they always rave about her classes. Another one of her talents is embroidery and she embroiders embellishments on many of our products. Rosa is 36 years old and has 2 children.

Every item you buy from our Manos Cruceñas Online Store or in person at our retail store in Santa Cruz la Laguna helps these and other mothers provide necessities for their families. We appreciate your support!

Maltiox! (Thanks!)