One of seven children, Santos only had the chance to complete one year of formal education before working. She married at 18, but when her husband became abusive, Santos returned to live with her parents, resolving to build a brighter future.
An artisan history
Together with her grandmother and sisters, Santos learned to make and sell all kinds of colorful traditional Guatemalan textiles. She became skilled at dying fabric using natural materials as well as the Ikat weaving technique that is well-known among the Indigenous Maya (sometimes called Jaspe). To create Ikat designs, threads tie-dyed before weaving, resulting in distinctive, multicolored patterns. Santos broke boundaries by teaching herself to weave using a floor loom, a tool that is traditionally only used by men. Today, she is part of a household in which multiple generations of women all work together in support of her textile business.
A high standard for quality
In 2018, she joined Handmade by Friendship Bridge® (HMBFB), a program of Friendship Bridge that helps artisan clients acquire the skills, education, learning experiences, support, and technical assistance they need to reach their potential and independently sell their handmade products in local, national, and international markets. Now, Santos, her mother, and her adult daughter use weaving techniques that have been passed down from her grandmother to support themselves through their textile business.
In December 2024, HMBFB became a verified member of the Fair Trade Federation, aligning with global standards that prioritize the dignity, labor rights, and cultural identity of artisans. Among the nine principles on which the Fair Trade Federation operates, Santos’s independent textile business is a prime example of the values it promotes:
- Respect for Cultural, Racial & Ethnic Identity: Santos uses Ikat weaving techniques and natural dyes, protecting Maya traditions while innovating for new markets.
- Building Capacity: Through HMBFB’s training, Santos has strengthened her business skills, increased production quality, and built customer trust with fair pricing and professional practices.
- Safe & Empowering Work Conditions: Working from home gives Santos flexibility. She also accessed preventive health care through our Health for Life program, including treatment for diabetes that allowed her to continue supporting her family.
New challenges and growth
Recently, Santos’s grandmother passed away. Then in 2025, one of Santos’s sisters died, leaving her to care for her three nieces. Suddenly, rebuilding after abuse, raising her own children, and maintaining a thriving business, she found herself raising young children once again.
This time, though, because of all she’s learned through HMBFB, Santos has not let new challenges derail the progress she has made.
“We see a woman who is more equipped to do this again,” says Indira Maldonado, Communications, Public Relations, & Visual Design Coordinator.
A recent visit to her property revealed new and improved buildings and upgraded structures that were not there before. As an additional income source, Santos developed four rental properties on her land, including a dedicated space from which she sells her own products.
“She feels very proud, super happy, and encouraged now,” Indira says. “She’s not thinking about the workload—she is motivated to take on new challenges because she has more family to care for, and these children looking up to her.”
Strong women build legacies that last for generations.
Training and support through Handmade by Friendship Bridge® has allowed Santos make a living as a weaver—preserving Maya textile traditions, supporting her family, and passing on her artisan culture and history to new generations. With your gift, you can help more women artisans gain the skills, support, and market access to improve the lives of themselves and their families.
