Since 1970 Los Andes Handicrafts, a social
workshop, has been striving to empower disadvantaged
women of the communities of El Alto, La Paz,
Bolivia. It firmly
believes that economic independence is the first step
towards self reliance and empowerment. Hence, Los Andes
Handicrafts imparts training to the women to produce
textile based handicrafts, leather accesories and other hand made
items and to market them to eke out a living.
The ultimate objective of Los Andes
Handicrafts is to build sustainable communities where
respect for people is held high and no
differentiation based on caste, gender or religion is
prevalent.
Over the years hundreds of women
have benefited from the skill training provided by
Los Andes Handicrafts. A majority of them have been
enterprising and have been making their lives on their
own. However, the others, from the neighbouring
communities, who are not so enterprising continue to be
part of our cooperatives busy producing handicrafts and
other articles of beauty and value. They are the bread
winners for their family. Hence, their standard of life
is directly related to the turnover of Los Andes
Handicrafts.
Los Andes Handicrafts has realized
that social enterprise and fair trade is the answer to
globalization and its after effects. When the entire
world is propelled by profit motive Los Andes Handicrafts
invites you to be different by joining the movement of
fair trade which makes not a few millionaires but many
bread winners.
Our
Mission
Objectives
Los Andes Handicrafts aims to build
sustainable and self reliant communities through
economic and socio cultural empowerment of women.
To provide opportunity for low resource
women to be economically self reliant.
To socialy and economically empower women.
Values
To be open and inclusive and not to
discriminate on grounds of race, religion, caste
or sexual orientation.
Taking affirmative action on behalf of women
who are disadvantaged and unskilled.
Paying reasonable wages and providing good
working conditions
