More than 90% of the entrepreneurs and artisans with whom we collaborate are women. Whether in Peru, Guatemala, Jordan, Tanzania or Bulgaria, these women overcome enormous obstacles every day just to survive. They’re are also growing sustainable businesses that support their families. We are knocked out by these women and their remarkable achievements every single day. We are proud to help them build futures and save pasts, and we salute their remarkable accomplishments.
Sillustani, Peru: SPI is working with the local women's artisan association, helping them with business skills and to manufacture and sell hand-made products to visitors. Making products themselves increases profit margins and makes more attractive products. We are also working with artisans in the wider region so the local women can sell a wide range of products, bringing them new and sustainable income.
Chotuna-Chorancap, Peru: SPI's project, together with the Chotuna-Chornancap Site Museum and the Brüning National Museum, is helping the artisans of Chotuna develop their experience into a sustainable and profitable business which will offer a real income, and preserve the site in doing so. Beginning in 2012, the project has built key infrastructure and carried out vital training with a group of female artisans. Alongside this, SPI and its partners continue to promote Chotuna as a tourist attraction, creating vital local business and developing key local infrastructure.
Kaole, Tanzania: SPI is working with the local community and heritage authorities to create a sustainable business in the community for local women to benefit from tourism. This business will be based on the local delicacy of sea-snail soup - a favorite with visitors! Local women will make and sell the soup, as well as local hand-made crafts, near the site.
Pachacamac, Peru: SPI is promoting community development and site preservation by bringing together 23 women from settlements around Pachacamac to create a sustainable community business. The women have been trained in business and artisan skills and are working together to create craft products related to the cultural history of Pachacamac. They control and own the business, now called 'SISAN' and through it they build sustainable livelihoods for themselves and their families, strengthen local identity and put the site at the heart of the community.
Kaminaljuyu, Peru: The site provides no current economic benefit to its surrounding community. SPI is working with local NGO Comunidades de la Tierra(Communities of the Earth) to provide capacity training to 15 local women artisan-producers. The women are learning business and production skills to make a variety of goods under the brand 'Rebirth Kaminaljuyu'. The products include artistic interpretations of ancient iconography and stories about the artisans themselves. Rebirth Kaminaljuyu products are being sold around the world through our partner Wakami.
A weekly digest from CEO Larry Coben for the Sustainable Preservation Initiative.