HRGlocal partners with organizations in the United States and around the world who provide emotional, social and economic support to vulnerable men and women by helping them to learn job skills, find employment and provide for themselves and their families with dignity. In many cases, by giving people a means to support themselves, these organizations provide a way for men and women to survive without resorting to prostitution or being coerced into some form of forced labor.
Weaving Hope Jewelry, Guatemala City
Weaving Hope Jewelry is the small business enterprise at El Refugio (The Refuge), a shelter that supports women escaping abuse and trafficking as well as their children. Located in a suburb of Guatemala City, the shelter provides weekly counseling, legal assistance, medical & dental services, and the opportunity for women to further their schooling and/or job skills, and plan for their future.
Weaving Hope helps women learn a means of supporting themselves and their families. In Guatemalan culture, when women are able to earn an income, they are less likely to experience abuse or neglect. Their husbands and families begin to see them as valuable people and treat them with respect.
All of the products from Weaving Hope Jewelry are unique and handmade by women at the shelter. Their jewelry is made of things like coffee beans, navy, pinto and red beans, Guatemalan Jade and coral.
Si-Tek Sewing, Guatemala City
Si-Tek Sewing is a part of the House of Hope program near Guatemala City. The program provides food, clothing, health care, education and bible studies to poor children, operates dental clinics and provide permanent housing for local families. Si-Tek Sewing trains mothers to sew so they are able to provide for their families. In Guatemala, where domestic abuse, trafficking and violence against women are widely accepted and rarely prosecuted, Si-Tek Sewing meets a critical need.
With seven donated sewing machines, Si-Tek Sewing currently produce purses, cosmetic pouches, totes and Christmas stockings. Their vision is to become fully self-sustaining, employ 100 women, and be able to provide day care, health care and education for local families.
