Bags and beads

Every couple of weeks the local expats organize a trip to the village of La Colorada, where an American started two women’s collectives so the members can learn skills and earn their own money. Jack was busy with the rigger so I joined the others in a rented panga for the long ride across the estuary and up the river.

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The village is on another island and more than 300 people live there.

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We walked first to the sewing collective, where the women were having a meeting about future projects while we looked at the totes, purses and backpacks they made.

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Unfortunately (or maybe fortunately) they didn’t have any available stock for sale, only the order that was being picked up to be sent to Seattle for sale in shops there.

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Jean brought some fabric she found in San Salvador and ordered a few bags, and Jeff ordered a backpack made of deerskin.

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The women get their supplies of fabric, leather and thread from outside El Salvador but even so, their work is beautiful and the income is a great benefit to them, their families and the village.

We walked to another building where a group of young women make beaded jewelry.

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Just like for the bag collective, the materials are brought in by various people but the work is lovely. They pulled out what they had available, again mostly packaged up to be sent to the states for sale in shops.

The women are obviously proud of their work and were happy to have us visit. As always, I feel privileged to be able to experience a world so different from my own.

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