Arts and Crafts Innovation with the Leadership of Indigenous Women

Situation Analysis:

The lack of adequate public policies in Paraguay directed towards indigenous communities in employment/entrepreneurship, preservation of cultural heritage, education, and health has led to a human security issue: 75% of them live in extreme poverty according to the latest Paraguayan National Survey (DGEEC/2017). There is a high level of inequality between the "Paraguayan" population and the Indigenous population, and within this exclusion, women and girls are the most affected; more than 80% of adult women are illiterate. Women in indigenous communities have also been excluded from decision-making positions because of traditional gender roles, which in turn affects their capacity to influence policies that impact their quality of life.

This situation has also been particularly difficult in this health pandemic context, where women leaders and communities are eager to find innovative ways to continue their production, finding alternatives for food security. A women-led Indigenous Qom community, located in Santa Rosa Cerrito, in the Chaco region of Paraguay has been organized for years and is ready to take their entrepreneurship to the next level. A total of 17 young women from this community work for the preservation of the Totora Plant, a raw material used to produce their handicrafts (mainly basketry and purses). They also use the seeds of the plant to make bracelets, necklaces, and other products. The group’s leader, Bernarda Pesoa, has explained the need to receive training to improve their arts and crafts, mainly in innovation of products/design, promotion, and commercialization. They have not formalized their brand or legal records to sell their products at a fair price. This group is only able to promote and sell locally, close to their homes because of their lack of visibility and isolation. They are eager for technical assistance to improve their arts and crafts trade, while sustaining their culture and livelihood.

General description:

This initiative will empower an organized group of young indigenous women (Qom) dedicated to arts and crafts in Cerrito (Paraguay’s rural Chaco region), while promoting their cultural heritage. The initiative will benefit young indigenous women from the community that have expressed their interest in professional development to improve their skills in arts and crafts, while formalizing their business with a social entrepreneurship focus. This will be done by designing and implementing a comprehensive training program focused on innovation in design, marketing, commercialization with social media and small business entrepreneurship, while formalizing their brand and small business. Cultural heritage preservation and women´s empowerment will be crosscutting issues. The series of training sessions will be led by a group of national and international gender and arts and crafts specialists, who are committed to this social project.

Duration of the Project: 6 months (August 2020-January 2021)

Donation Goal: 10,000 USD

Project Email: mujeresqom@gmail.com

Will be implemented even if donation goal is not achieved.