“The objective is to accompany them in the production and marketing processes of artisanal products that they themselves already lead, and to contribute to the promotion of new income opportunities, so as to obtain, ultimately, the improvement of the quality of life of rural-indigenous women in the area. Underlying the project are concepts such as group promotion, the sustainable use of natural resources and respect for the cultural identity of rural women's organisations,' explained the Ecuadorian Salesians, who run the project on site.
“We are very proud to have developed a catalogue of handcrafted products with our brand”, the indigenous women involved stress, who sell their products under the Warmi Ruray (Women who work) brand.
"The project thus promotes a process of economic empowerment for people in situations of exclusion or vulnerability, with an approach based on rights and the practice of exercising citizenship, and with a high degree of social transformation, as the recipients then pass on their knowledge to other women" the Ecuadorian Salesians conclude.
The end of the project is scheduled for next August, and therefore the support and accompaniment activities are in their final phase. "It is also a project with a very sweet touch", the participating indigenous women comment, referring to the workshop for the production and sale of homemade jam, which has been extensively renovated; Cabildo de Gran Canaria, in particular, contributed to this part of the project with the purchase of a fruit press.
In addition to aspects inherent in the work and production of artifacts and jams, the project has provided for "continuous training processes" adapted to the circumstances of the beneficiaries, rural and indigenous women – to promote among the participants, with priority to the youngest, values such as equal treatment and access to opportunities in community organisations and at the local level, recognising their rights, their capacities and their potential for an inclusive and equitable development of their community.
Thanks to training sessions on proper use and responsible management of raw materials such as cade fibre, paso cabuya fibre and páramo straw, sheep or llama wool, the rural and indigenous women from the parishes of Facundo Vela, Simiatug and Salinas have also developed group work, the sustainable use of natural resources and respect for the identity of the people and the realities of the different areas.
On the operational side in each civil parish, the development of handicraft products was promoted that took into account and emphasised their cultural identity, but with an innovative touch in design, in order to make them more attractive and practical for customers. And in the production of jams, we have worked on three fronts: making the packaging more visible and attractive; reducing production times and costs; developing and incorporating a biosafety plan that guarantees compliance with best manufacturing practices throughout the production process.
