A women-led group called “Textiles Nueva Esperanza” (New Hope Textiles in English) set a simple goal: to sell their traditional, handmade products beyond their community. With the support of an initiative called Women’s Economic Empowerment, the group received technical assistance, equipment and financial support. Today, they have reached that goal—and someday, they hope to sell beyond Guatemala.
The initiative, which is by USAID’s Tejiendo Paz Project in collaboration with AGEXPORT, has benefited 665 women in Guatemala’s Western Highlands, specifically in the departments of Quiché, San Marcos, Totonicapán and Huehuetenango. These women are transforming their lives and communities, developing sustainable micro-enterprises and fostering economic resilience.
The U.S. Agency for International Development’s Peacebuilding Project (known as Proyecto Tejiendo Paz in Spanish) works with remote and often under-resourced communities to address and resolve social conflict.
