Chajulense Association of Women

The Chajulense Association of Women United in Life” began as an effort to create opportunity for women in Chajul, due to the decrease of job sources from some organizations in the area.  Thus, 50 women began meeting to create alternatives.

The first one consisted in accepting the offer of the Association to continue with the textile project.  The second was to request the support of the Caritas Social Pastoral of Women, in Quiché, by providing genre training, participation, and organization.  This led to the foundation of the  Chajulense Association of Women United in Life that manages two projects to this date: textiles and micro-credit; this last one began during the process of creating the organization.

The main goal of the Chajulense Association of Women United in Life is to promote the comprehensive development of the associates, their families, and their communities through: a) promoting community organization; b) creating productive projects; c) promoting micro-credit; d) finding support from other entities; e) organizing special activities for women; f) generating training processes to increase the women’s knowledge in different issues; and, g) watching over the care and protection of the environment.

PROJECTS

Credits

The credit program of the Chajulense Association of Women United in Life has 85 participants that began their credit activity in December 2007. Their recovery rate is 99%. The methodology being used by the program is an evolution of the concept of “Communal Banks”, towards a credit program in an association base, directed and managed by the associates.

Textiles

This Project was born from the group of women artisans supported by the Chajulense Association that since 1989 have upheld their custom as Maya Ixil women, of manufacturing textiles with the waist-supported loom, as an alternative to generate income that could mean investing in their own and their family’s development (health, education, nutrition, etc.). Maya cosmovision tells about the deity Ixchel who weaves the cosmos on her loom, and turned into a pillar where Ixil women weave a better present and future, “they weave their dreams”. Today there are 45 women participating in the textile Project. The organization provides the services of supplying the cotton thread, textile preparation, design of the products, manufacturing, searching for markets, and sales. Women receive the thread, which is woven by them in their homes, as per their ancient custom. Tradition in the use of textile techniques is translated into products designed to answer the market needs as to colors, designs, and usefulness. Thus, Chajulense women prepare a wide range of special accessories: hand bags, wallets, cosmetic holders, shawls, baby line, etc., and home accessories such as pillows, place mats, kitchen gloves, table centers, etc.

Watch the Products