From Santa Catarina Palopó, a rural village on the shores of Lake Atitlán, Martha Carmen grew up in a family of 12 children in circumstances where loss was not uncommon. By age 16, she had only completed two years of primary schooling due to limited income—she had to work to help support the family. She helped her mother weave textiles from a young age and served as a street vendor with her siblings, selling the family’s products in their village.
The ripples she set in motion
Since becoming a client of our artisan program, Handmade by Friendship Bridge, Martha Carmen has continually explored new ways to earn additional income using the weaving skills she knows so well. For example, she discovered that the technique used for making large belts (which takes longer and require more materials to complete) could be adapted to smaller, more accessible products including bookmarks, earrings, and now magnets. By extending her artisan skills into new product lines, Martha Carmen is able to generate steady, diversified income that helps bring greater stability to her family’s finances.
A leader in the community
Our staff has also seen her grow personally and become a leader as she began hosting live demonstrations on backstrap loom weaving. When visitors and Insight Trip travelers come to her community, they can learn firsthand how to weave themselves, thanks to Martha Carmen’s instruction.
The income from her business sustains her son and two grandchildren, who live with her and are close in age. All three now have the chance to pursue the education that Martha Carmen has always wanted for her family.
Keep Indigenous artisan traditions alive.
Through programs like Handmade by Friendship Bridge®, women like Martha Carmen turn generations of weaving knowledge into steady, diversified income. With your gift, you can help more women like Martha Carmen build stable livelihoods.
