Wakami World… seeing the beauty in the world now!

Posted by: Maria Pacheco

. . . May Markets Multiply Houses With Windows

“That all communities have houses, that all houses have a window, that from all windows a garden may be seen, that in all gardens there is a ball, that all balls belong to girls and boys that go to school, that all schools have PTA´s with mothers and fathers that work, that all those who work may reach markets, that markets multiply houses with windows, that in the new windows trees and birds multiply… So the sky may be blue and the sun bright for everyone!”

This is the Wakami World Dream . . . and the part that is our favorite is “may markets multiply houses with windows”.

Besides creating products that connect us to our INNER STRENGTH, to our INNER GIFTS, to our INNER CHILD . . . Wakami most of the time, becomes the first source of steady income for  many rural women in Guatemala.  Currently, Wakami Products are made by 6 different rural companies, totaling about 90 women.  As we keep growing, we are hoping  that by the end of the year, over 120 women and about 8 groups will be part of this.

At Wakami World, we see every day, how women make miracles with their income.  First, they will usually buy more food, and send their children to school.  Then, they will start looking pretty, buying a new dress for the first time in a long time.  Then, come the investments . . . cows, land, and finally, a new house!!

When this happens, we celebrate!!  That new house, has a piece of each one of us that participates in the process!  So this new house has the energy of the woman that produces it, of Kiej and Wakami World that  designs it and markets it and of people that buy it!!!!

For this new house to happen, the world has come together in one place:  THE MARKET!!

Posted by:  Queta Rodriquez

Nydia has been part of the team forever… She was at Kiej, before Kiej existed… She started working with María, the day Sacalá was able to produce a set of wooden building blocks for children according to Mr. Mario Nathusius prerequisite for selling them at Cemaco, the biggest home and tools store in Guatemala: “Your initiative is great María, the day this block and this one are the same size, they have a space in Cemaco.”  As you all may know by now, Mr. Nathusius requirement, became María´s mission for the month, and very soon Patricio and his partners from María´s first income generation alliance, were producing homogeneous wooden blocks from the trees they had planted several years ago… And with this, Nydia became part of our lives…

Nidia

To fully comprehend the importance of Nydia in the developing of Kiej´s first market strategies and Wakami today, think of the challenge it represents to implement a manufacturing production process… and then, try translating that experience to a manual production process… in a disconnected community in the Guatemalan highlands… where quality and time are perceived totally different… where measurements only indicate if it fits or not, and all blues are blue…  Now… make that suit you living in New York or Amsterdam or any city in the world… Got it? Yes! Connecting these two worlds is what Nydia has done for many years: “This one is not the right size; people in the United States are bigger than us, this bracelet will not fit them that is why it says 7.5 inches in the order.” “The customer asked for fuchsia, this is pink… Do you remember the color chart I gave you?” “Yes, if we said Friday, we meant Friday. The customer is expecting it on Monday.”

These lines over and over again, and Nydia´s strength to not accept products that do not meet the quality standards we promised to our customers, have been critical – not only to Kiej and Wakami – but to the rural groups we work with. You cannot imagine how we celebrate, when after 2, 3 or 4 times Nydia has turned back product to a group leader – because they did not meet the standards – she comes into our offices loudly announcing: “Everybody come, come see Lilly´s bracelets!” And there she has them over her table: 500 or a 1,000 or 5,000 bracelets, all of them looking the same, with exactly the same number of beads and of course: 7.5” long!!  While I am writing, I can hear Lilly´s voice proudly telling me: “Ahora si seño, ahora si pudimos” (“Yes, miss; now we can do it!”)

Putting together some handmade Bracelets

The work we do generating inclusive businesses in rural communities, requires the work of everyone in the team. The challenge starts when we first meet them and find out what they dream, from there on; it becomes a relay race… Nydia has the spirit to stand in the big slants this journey has, and cheer the women to keep running; assuring them the goal is behind the next hill…

And you know what? She not only does it with the groups, she reaffirms the dream in all of us!!

For us at Wakami World,  we can close our  eyes, and see and feel a beautiful world – one with harmony, one with happy people, one with a happy Earth.    At the beginning we thought it was only our own imaginary world – but as we go through this journey of life, we are realizing more and more,  that maybe this INNER WORLD, is not so imaginary.  Maybe this inner world exists . . . Maybe this inner world has always been there . . .

Part of the connection to this amazing world comes through some special beings that we have met. And have reminded us of it . . they are called the Journey Companions!  These beautiful creatures, each have a piece of that original world with them  – the link between souls, the guardian of the forest, the spirit of the night, the stream of energy, the love spreader, the traveler of the sky . . .

LINK BETWEEEN SOULS

This weekend, I had the “link between souls” with me.  This creature gently reminded me of the beauty of connecting with other beings . . . No words, just sitting there with me . . .

Every doll is made in rural Guatemala and is part of a collection of 11 mythical animals that are here to tell us: This is the ride of you life: Enjoy it!

Check out all of Wakami items at www.wakami.net

Posted by:  Maria Pacheco

Ligia

Ligia is one of the Wakami World’s partners.  She used to be my mentour.  Everytime I would reach a dead end, she would find a way out!!  A year and a half ago, Ligia told our team that she wanted to be part of us!!  It has been a blessing ever since . . . Ligia brought with her the power of strategic planning and financial management . . . We all felt so blessed to have someone like this in our team!!!

Ligia

Posted by Queta Rodríguez

I met Lis in 2005, when she was in her last year of her degree in Industrial Design, and was assigned to work with us as the local designer – in a product development project – we were doing in alliance with Jocotán and Agexport. Back then, Wakami was a dream starting to become a concrete idea, and when I saw her the first time, I knew she was part of it!  Lis was in her early twenties and it only took a few words between us, to know we were connected beyond this temporary assignment…

Six months later, we presented our “creating an umbrella brand” idea to ICCO from The Netherlands, and as they had done in previous occasions: they believed in the dream of generating business opportunities that would link rural women to markets, and decided to support us, making Wakami start to become a reality… and here, Lis became part of the team!

The first months, we worked in the brand concept along with La Otra Mitad, the communication agency that helped us develop the name, the logo and the first Wakami image. Lis was a very important piece in all the decisions we took, regarding how Wakami would look and what we wanted to communicate through our products. At the same time, she was designing the first prototypes. Now, when we look back, we laugh at those first designs. We did not have an idea of how a Wakami product should look like: Should we use natural materials? Or maybe recycled? Should everything be handmade? Should we use traditional techniques? Were they very colorful? Lis tried rocks, seeds, plastic bags, totally colorful, traditional, monochromatic, minimalist, necklaces, clutches, earrings, totes, carpets and t-shirts and although some of they looked nice, they did not have the Wakami spirit we could not yet translate into words, drawings or products. Nevertheless, she never got desperate… She would design and redesign and design again without feeling frustrated. I remember Lis following me through our offices to show me any new idea she had; and going back to her table to try something else… until one day, I was coming out of the bathroom, and found her standing at the door waiting for me: “Do you think this will work?” From the tone of her voice, I knew she was handing me the first Wakami product: “How did you get to this? I love it!” It was a crochet tubes and crystals necklace and bracelet: It looked beautiful; the cost of the raw materials was not high, so most of its direct cost would come from labor: Just what we were looking for…!

Since then, Lis has grown as a designer, as a person and as a leader. At first, she used to be the “designer team”, now she is the head of Wakami´s design platform. I admire very much her sensibility to join the market demands with the abilities of the rural groups we work with, but what I respect the most, is  her way of recognizing the greatness inside every person – I feel very proud, when I hear her training the women to do the new designs: “If I can do it, you can… There is nothing you cannot do, if you really want to… But of course, it takes time, patience and effort, so you cannot say I can´t, until you have really tried!” Hearing her, reminds me of the first times we went together to propose a business that was only a dream, to the five different groups Wakami started with and that all together numbered 30 women… Today, Lis´ designs generate income to at least 350 rural women… We have walked a long way since then, and as Lis says, it has required time, patience and effort; indeed having her in our team, has made the journey remarkable!

Many times, they ask me, if I am her mother… No, I am not… At least not in this life…

Posted by:  Maria Pacheco

The Earth Bracelet was our first product that got Wakami into a totally new direction . . . having products that  would tell stories about us , the People of the Earth!!

Earth Bracelet

The bracelet idea was born around February 2008.  I was living at that time in Bethesda, Maryland.  We had just moved from Guatemala with my husband, Flavio and my 3 kids.  My sister and her husband were with us.  She was going to Johns Hopkins to get diagnosed for a small tumor she had in her lung.

I wanted to do something with her that would keep her mind busy  . . . between tests and diagnosis . . . So one day, I just started to write a story . . . a story about the Earth.  The ideas just kept flowing . . . before long, the story was finished . . . I was happy.  Patty, my sister, also liked it!

We then started to try to make the bracelet . . . we did a prototype and sent it to Guatemala – to Queta, my partner and cousin-   and her design team, Lis.   Queta loved the story and before long, had made the drawings!!  I really liked them.   We only needed one more thing . . . the final bracelet design.  After trying many options,  Lis finally came up with a design we loved . . .

8 Strand Earth Bracelet

I love this bracelet . . . it reminds us of the reason why we are here . . . it reminds us the Earth is our home . . . it reminds us we are all part of something bigger that is connected . . .

My sister´s diagnosis:  she had Hodgekins linphoma.  After 6 months of chemiotherapy, she is OK now.

by: Maria Pacheco:

Mother Rumalda with daughter Maria Esmeralda

I love looking at this picture, of a mother and daughter!  They are from Jocotan, the village where 8 yrs ago, a famine was declared.  Rumalda, the mother, took the opportunity to make part of the fiber  packaging of Rum Zacapa, a great Guatemalan rum.  8 communities, 8 yrs ago, were incubated by Kiej de los Bosques (with support from ICCO),  and what initially started as a 2,000 unit a month order, now is up to 70,000 units a month.  300 women and a few men, are having a steady source of income!

When that happens, this picture takes place.  Rumalda, who did not attend school, who barely reads and writes, but that has magic hands, , the first thing she did  once she started having a monthly income, was to feed her children and send them to school.  Because there was only elementary school in the community, once the children reached 7^th grade,  the women started pushing local authorities to build a junior high . . . which they built.  Just last year, the high school was  also built!!

Rumalda´s daughter, who is in 10^th grade, now dreams of becoming a nurse to help the women of her community!!!   8 yrs – different possibilities for her daughter. . . . possibilities that the magic hands of her mother wove for her!!!

Join us in helping us bring income to these ladies by shopping from our site, www.wakami.net.

Maria is with Ligia, Justa, Nadia, Wendy, Adan, Mario and Pedro . . . the incubation team.  Every other Monday, we have meetings to see how the incubation of  the 18 rural groups in Guatemala, is moving along . . . our most important evaluation tool:  if we can assign communities a happy face or a sad one!!  The goal:  100% happy faces.  These we usually get, when orders from clients start coming in!!

Wakami started in 2006, based on the experience of Kiej de los Bosques generating income in Guatemalan rural communities, since 1993. María Pacheco, our founder, had worked with Sacalá and Jocotán, and the results after consolidating two different productive chains – wood and natural fibers – and accessing markets, gave us the clue of what we wanted to do in order to change the Guatemala that appears in statistics into the Guatemala we see in our dreams…

The Guatemala of our dreams is an amazing country, where diverse eco-systems and species that are unique, feature in everybody´s life. It has beautiful landscapes and a marvelous climate, people with great potential and the richness of multiple ethnicities! The Guatemala in statistics is a third world country, with 51% of its people living in poverty conditions and valuable ecosystems disappearing to make it possible for others to survive. And what personally hurts me the most: People willing to work for a better life, having to leave their families, their roots, their country in order to achieve their dream…

With these two Guatemalas in our minds, a dream grew bigger and bigger in our hearts:

“That all communities have houses, that all houses have a window, that from all windows a garden may be seen, that in all gardens there is a ball, that all balls belong to girls and boys that go to school, that all schools have PTA´s with mothers and fathers that work, that all those who work may reach markets, that markets multiply houses with windows, that in the new windows trees and birds multiply… So the sky may be blue and the sun bright for everyone!”

María’s experience generating income in rural communities, the changes in education, health, and social and political issues, we saw happening in the economically empowered communities Kiej had worked with, and our family background as entrepreneurs – María and I are cousins – made us immediately decide we wanted to work to make the “…that markets multiply houses with windows…” part of the dream.

At first, we did not have a specific idea of how we were going to do it, or what products we were going to produce… Nevertheless, we knew two things: we wanted to generate income for women that had no other ways to do it, and we wanted to share our personal experiences and feelings with the people who would buy our products. When our designer´s team joined these two things, wonderful products emerged… Products that fit the needs of urban communities and solve the needs of rural communities… Products that tell stories about us: The people of the Earth!

I feel bless to have the opportunity to interact with both parts of the value chain, Wakami has become: the women who produce and the persons who buy our products. I do not know what I am more greatful for, the faces of customers when I tell them the story behind our products, or the faces of the rural women when they tell us how their lives have changed.

Please come visit our website at www.wakami.net and help make a difference…..

This Workshop was a great way to self-reflect about the important things in life, challenging you to look at what you are doing and why. We so often get caught up in our daily routines and forget about what really drives us to live. Thank you for a beautiful experience, Maria!

Join us Saturday, June 27^th 3-5:15 pm

at the Cleveland Park Library

3310 Connecticut Avenue, NW

Are you interested in finding out more about how positive visualization can help you better understand and eventually achieve your life dream? Maria Pacheco, an award-winning entrepreneur from Guatemala as well as a recent author, has an amazing success story of how the simple dream of connecting people around the world in happiness and hope has transformed her life. She created Wakami World, a social business that provides access to international market for Guatemalan women. By working towards her dream, Maria has provided a way for thousands of Guatemalans to achieve their dreams of having a sustainable income and improving the lives of future generations.

At Wakami World, our dream of happiness and prosperity for all has allowed us to better the lives of many, allowing them to continue dreaming.

Wakami World is born out of a dream! that we believe, is shared by many of us!! One where people are happy and prosperous; one where there are so many trees, animals, plants and chrystaline springs near the home; one where the WORD HARMONY has a place…

We had no idea how to start landing this dream. However, based on the work we have done in a country like Guatemala, we have learned that TRADE is a big part of it. A trade that incorporates new people into the system, a trade that values ancestral cultures, that recovers ecosystems and that allows prosperity at all levels, is the landing structure we have found for this dream. That is why for 18 years, we have been finding ways to do this. We founded Kiej de los Bosques in Guatemala, as a social business that would link rural communities to markets. We have worked with 50 groups, around 1500 people, of which 80% are women. We have developed a system that not only allows for groups to get organized, develop products and access markets, but also a system that allows people to believe in themselves and their dreams. This is what we love of the system.

Kiej has grown, and has become 3 different organizations that work hand in hand to accomplish this: communities of the World (incubator) Kiej de los Bosques (marketing) and Wakami World (US Market).

The idea to start a blog, is to be able to share with other people what we have learned, to show what is behind our products, and also to learn from other people, what moves them, how does their dream world looks like, what are their ingredients, how do we work together.

Our slogan:

“Seeing the beauty in the World now“

reflects what Wakami World is all about!!!

Today was a magical day!!  I went to an event sponsored by the Kenyan Embassy and Vital Voices in Washington DC.  The reason:  meeting Rebecca Lolosoli, a Kenyan woman, part of the Samburu people.  Rebecca, with a group of about other 40 women, decided to start their own village, just for women and kids.  They wanted to create a different alternative . . . a village in which women would not be abused . . . a village in which women could live in peace.  It has been a hard journey, but one in which they remind other women of their rights and their value . . . Rebecca was showing us her products, made in her community . . . beautiful necklaces and bracelets . . . we were all excited.  I bought a bracelet and could feel the energy of these strong women . . . but perhaps, what impressed me the most, where I saw the beauty tonight ,was not only in her products . . . It was also in the other women in the room.  They were all there supporting Rebecca; by being there, they were  saying to HER THAT HER CAUSE IS BEAUTIFUL AND WORTHY; it was telling the Kenyan Embassy that they were all behind this amazing woman . . . the lesson I take back, is that WHEN EMPOWERED WOMEN SUPPORT EACH OTHER, NEW POSSIBILITIES ARISE . . . the energy of a room full of women, supporting her, was incredible!!!  This is what Vital Voices is all about!!!  To find out more about Rebecca, visit the Vital Voices website, at www.vitalvoices.org.

With respect to Wakami World, we would love to have one of Rebecca’s products in our future online store.  What do you think?

Ambassador Melanee Verveer, giving the key note speech.

The beautiful thing about dreams, is that ONCE YOU can see them inside yourself, it is easy to identify elements of it in the outside world!!  The dream of seeing communities all over the world happy and prosperous took a new dimension monday, when I was invited to attend  a 10,000 women event, by Goldman Sachs.  Goldman Sachs, about a year ago, launched 10,000 women, as one of their main projects that would allow them to invest in businesswomen all over the world (10,000 businesswomen), so they could start generating prosperity not only for themselves, but also for their communities and countries!!!   For this event, held in New York City, this monday,  Goldman Sachs  invited  their different partners, mostly universities from the United States and Universities in the different countries where 10,000 works with.  Also present were   Ambassador Melane Verveer, from the State Department, gave the keynote speech and  5 of the 10,000 women (Egypt, India, Afganistan, United States and Rwanda).  Vital Voices was also there, as a key partner in this initiative.   Somehow, I was also invited to this event.  But I felt, like I was really there to be A WITNESS of the NEW, BEAUTIFUL THINGS, that are happening in this World.  To have women comming from different parts of the world, together with the academia, the goverment and the corporate sector, in one room, thinking of how to CREATE A VALUE THAT STARTS IN REMOTE PLACES OF OUR PLANET, brings me so much HOPE!!!

The energy of the room was incredible, the commitment towards women was beautiful . . . the new possibilities coming out of that meeting . . . endless!!

As always, I reminded Dina Powell,  an amazing woman and one of the pioneers of this program at Goldman Sachs, that it would be great to have a program like this land in Central America as well!!!  She said . . . “ONE DAY, Maria”.  But what was great, is that Guatemala was present in the event, through the corporate gifts Goldman Sachs made.  They were keychains, made by guatemalan women, designed by Kiej de los Bosques and distributed by WAKAMI WORLD!!!    Somehow, the energy from Guatemala, was also present!!!  This made me happy!!

Little by little, dreams become realities!!!  This event, reminded me of this!!!!

Now we are finally in Guatemala! Yesterday was a beautiful day filled with learning, passion y mucho emotion!

A varied group of reporters, photographers, stafffrom Keij de los Bosques and Vital Voices met each other early in the morning to begin the long bus ride to Jocotan to see first-hand the progress of this community.

8 years ago, an fatal famine hit Guatemala, causing death and suffering in acountry whose land is normally so green and fertile that even the poorest never die of hunger.  After seeing the suffering that was taking place in this isolated community three hours outside of the capital city, Maria Pacheco decided that something must be done. She say the beautiful weavings the Mayan women had been creating for generations, but realized that the income they were receiving was not nearly sufficient for themselves and all of their children.

After years of searching for dependable markets for these womens’ products, Maria came across the owner of Ron Zacapa, a very high-quality Guatemalan rum who was interested in the beautiful weaving to use as part of the packaging:

Now the women of Jocotan feel their worth and their children are going to school with the dream of continuing their education and live their dreams. The connections that were made between the visitors and the rural women will be long-lasting as people realize that although so much has been accomplished already, so much remains to give these women and their families the opportunties they deserve to improve their lives.

The day started out bright and early again with a meeting with the Congress, discussing “Governance: The Role of the Parliament and Judicial System.”

Thereafter, there was a meeting with the regional office of UNIFEM, United Nations Foundation for Female Development.  After an interview with another radio station, USAID met with Dr. Lancaster to hear some of her advice on their regional programs.

In the evening, Radio FABULOSA invited the women for an interview. Here Maria is explaining the role of Vital Voices here in Guatemala, and the multiplying impact of educating female leaders.

Maria and Carol were interviewed bright and early on the radio program Radio Infinita “Programa Enrique Godoy.”

Thereafter, they were brought to the Ambassador’s residence for a breakfast with Embassy representatives.  The theme of the discussion was entitled: “Guatemala: Strengthening a fragile State through Education.” Dr. Lancaster was able to speak with with Guatemalan Deans from Schools of Law, Economics, Politics and International Relations.

In the evening, Dr. Lancaster was invited to the Francisco Marroquin University to give a lecture to an energetic group of students, professors and academics. “Challenges and Opportunities for Guatemala: An academic perspective from Washington DC” concluded with many questions and comments showing the interest of the Guatemalan student community. Surely, a lasting relationship with Georgetown University has been formed.

(English version below) Carol Lancaster y Maria Pacheco son una pareja ideal: Maria representa aire, el cielo, soñar, mientras que Carol se involucra mas en lo concreto, la tierra, las conclusiones. Juntas, dieron un taller de capacitación a 67 personas, un grupo incluyendo estudiantes, indígenas, mujeres, hombres… todos siempre son capaces de ser líderes, y con el conocimiento y ayudo de Carol y Maria, seguro que van a realizar sus roles líderes en sus propios entornos.

El día empezo con la autoreflexion: Maria les pidio entrar en si mismos para encontrar su propio sueño. Porque cada persona, cada líder, necesita a un sueño, o una vision, según Carol. Compartiendo este sueno con el grupo, nos dimos cuenta que los sueños no se cambian mucho de una persona a otra. Todos queremos vivir con paz, felicidad, amor y en armonía con la naturaleza y su entorno.

Esperamos que ustedes sigan soñando y que animen a otras personas a reflexionar sobre sus propios sueños para después poder realizarlos mejor. Les pido compartir con nosotros sus sueños y como continuan a llegar mas cercanos de ese sueño cada día, día por día.

Muchas gracias a todos los participantes, fue un placer para todos!!

English version:

Carol Lancaster and Maria Pacheco are the ideal pair: Maria is moved by the air, sky and dreams, while Carol finds herself in the concrete ideas and conclusions, the earth. According to Joni Mitchell’s song, ‘Where are the Clouds,’ one is in the sky while the other on the ground. Together, they gave a workshop to over 65 men and women, students and leaders, all people who wanted to learn more about how to be a leader!

The day began with Maria asking the group to do some self-relfection, to enter into oneself and ask: what is my dream? Every person, and every leader, needs a dream, or how Carol likes to refer to it, a vision. After sharing these dreams with the group, we came to realize that peoples’ dreams are not so different, everyone drew different pictures representing more or less the same general wishes: peace, prosperity and harmony with people and nature.

We hope that all the participants are able to put the tools that they learned to use, as well as encouage their friends, families and communities to take a moment to reflect on their own dreams. Thank you to everyone, we could not have done it without you!

(English version below) La Doctora Carol Lancaster junto con Maria Pacheco fueron entrevistadas por el serie Viva La Manana, GUATEVISION.  Otra vez, les preguntaron no solamente sobre la situacion en Guatemala pero tambien lo que esta haciendo Voces Vitales aqui y como las mujeres de todas edades se pueden acercar.

Carol Lancaster vino a la oficina de Kiej de los Bosques, para conocer a la gente trabajando para los productos de Wakami aqui en Guatemala.

Al mediodia, un grupo de mujeres se juntaron en un restaurante que sirve comida tipica de Guatemala. Silvia Gereda, la presidenta de Vital Voices, ya esta organizando un viaje para un grupo de mujeres que van a ir a Washington DC para continuar la discusion.

Por la tarde, Dr. Lancaster fue invitada por dar una Charla, ‘Guatemala: Fortaleciendo un Estado Fragil’ a un grupo de abogados en Casa Ariana. Carol les dio su sumario del problema y analysis, para abrir la discucion de las soluciones a los demas. Hubo mucho intercambio de ideas y esperamos que es solo el comienzo de un dialogo entre los Guatemaltecos para como pueden cambiar a su pais para lo mejor.

English version: Doctor Lancaster and Maria Pacheco were interviewed by the television program, Viva La Manana, GUATEVISION. They were asked to comment on the political situation in Guatemala as well as educate the audience a little more about Vital Voices and what they are doing in Guatemala.

Carol then came to visit Kiej de los Bosques, the company from which Wakami World was started. At lunchtime, Professor Lancaster met with a group of powerful Guatemalan female leaders: politicians and journalists who want their voices to be heard. Silvia Gereda, the president of Vital Voices in Guatemala, is now going to organize a trip to Washington, DC for these women to take place early this fall.

I have always believed that when people coming from different worlds meet, amazing things happen!!  And this is exactly what happened with Carol’s visit to Guatemala, where Vital Voices Guatemala and the US Embassy made the trip possible.  Carol had the opportunity to meet with the people of Jocotan, a

village that has been trasformed by developing supply chains between the community and a rum company in Guatemala (which produces the best rum in the World).  Then, Carol met with the Congress of Guatemala, including the President and Vice President of Congress, and about 48 more congressmen and women.  It was a meeting where Carol described Guatemala as a weak state, but not a failed state.  She gave statistics that proved this.  Then, Carol gave a talk to about 185 students, inviting them to participate in the transformation of Guatemala.  Next day she gave a talk to lawyers, analyzing the situation of Guatemala and creating a discussion of what needs to be done.  The conclusion:  Guatemalans need to get together and work together!!  Change must come from within!!   Carol also had the chance to meet with 5 incredible women, that are working hard to guarantee justice and transparency in Guatemala, which are the main challenges!!  And last but not least, my favorite part.  We gave together with Carol a workshop to 80 women and men, that are leaders in their communities.  We started with the POWER OF DREAMS (my area) and continued with how to create landing structures for these dreams, which is Carol’s area (strategy and tactics, communication, resources, partnerships and networks, and cultural advantages and limitations).  We ended this workshop with all the participants holding hands and lighting candles!!!  People where to express their vision and dreams for Guatemala!!  We all cried, but the general feeling was:  THAT GUATEMALA IN OUR DREAMS WAS ALREADY PRESENT IN THE CIRCLE:  there was harmony, peace, oneness, and a space where everybody was included!!!

I am returning to Guatemala in september!!!  Now I now what I am passionate about:  empowering people, especially women, and getting everybody together to DREAM TOGETHER AND WORK TOGETHER!!!  Being part of  Vital Voices Global has strengthened me in creating new possibilities for my country, together with the amazing people that are part of Vital Voices Guatemala!!

“I want to join Kiej, Maria, I want to be able to be in a place where I can be part of the transformation of the world, I want to meet communities, I want to meet  rural women, I want to meet Dona Santa”.

These were Queta’s words, when she came into my small office in Kiej de los Bosques, in Guatemala City.  It was 2005.  Kiej had recently been formed, and we had a team of about 4!!  I had known Queta forever.  We are cousins, and grew up together, since our houses were joined by a back door, that communicated our gardens!!  First, with Queta, and our other  10 cousins and siblings, we used to play for hours!!  As we started to grow up, we started sharing our quests in life, our struggles, our crushes!!!

Later on, Queta started writing beautifully, and would read her poems and essays out loud.  Queta had this quality in which she could remove herself from a situation and  analyze it and describe it in a unique way!!!  One day, I asked Queta to transcribe my typewriter written biology thesis into a computer (a graduation requirement for college)!!  Back in 1987, PC’s where not that easy to use, but Queta was good.

My thesis started mentioning the DREAM I HAD FOR THE WORLD, one in which communities where happy, surrounded by beautiful forests, water springs . . . one with harmony!!!

I said to Queta:  “You know, this company is not so big.  You are coming from owning and running a beautiful kindergarten school, that is so successful.  I just do not want you to think we are big yet”.  As if Queta knew better, she just joined as a partner, and became the 2^nd of a total of 4 partners to form Kiej.

The journey ever since, has been amazing!!!!   Queta brought in all the knowledge about education and the management part, initially.  As she started seeing the work of Kiej, that of incubating rural businesses and linking them to markets, Queta came up with an idea.  Why not create our own brand for Kiej, one that would be an umbrella to produce and market products coming from many women’s groups in Guatemala, but why not take it one step further!!! To create beautiful products, created between the women in the communities and young designers, coming out of college, with a fresh approach to life!!!  To create products that would tell stories about us, THE PEOPLE OF THE EARTH!!!

ICCO, our partner from Holland , who had supported us for many years, believed in the idea, and gave us a grant to start developing this brand!!!

One day, I was in Washington, doing the mentorship program with Vital Voices, State Department and Fortune 400 women, when I get an e mail from Queta.  “Maria, here are a few choices for our brand!!!  You can select whichever you want, but we have already chosen ONE”.  WAKAMI HAD BEEN BORN!!!!

It has been difficult at times . . . but it is refreshing to talk to Queta, and hear her say:  “Maria, this is going to be so big, I see the entire film in my head, Wakami all over the world, with many  women working in partnership!!!

As I write this blog, Queta is going to be at the New York Gift Show, with a Kiej stand, displaying the new collection of Wakami products, and Maya Botanika products (another brand).   Wakami is already in the US, selling through different sites, like CHARITY.USA.  The wakami page is becoming and becoming more beautiful as time goes by (www.wakami.net).  The dream is coming to live!!!

In our philosophical conversations with Queta, we just realize the power of dreams.  Her typing my thesis, with the dream included , joined us in a way to work together in a way we never imagined!!

Which gives life to what WAKAMI means.  Wakami means IT ALREADY IS.  For us, this means the world in our dreams, already exists.  As people of the Earth, we just have to find each other, to make it appear in front of us!!!

The last month, has been a month of travel for me , moving between the US, Peru and Guatemala.  Finally, I am in Guatemala, where I will be spending some time!!

Landing in Guatemala, at the beginning was a bit rough.  People in the city are scared because of the violence, there is a climate of uncertainty, and street conversations, usually start with how afraid people are.  However, that is the top layer of Guatemala, the one we hear about in the newspapers and TV.  What I find fascinating  is  another layer to Guatemala, one that is so inspiring, that it connects people back to its roots, back to its soul, back to that place where we KNOW EVERYTHING IS POSSIBLE.

This amazing layer has to do with THE PEOPLE and THE LAND, and the energy of the place.  Lake Atitlan, highlights this layer.  It’s a place of magic.  You see local people in their small wooden canoes, rowing across the lake, you see volcanoes, that are kind of shy, and show themselves to visitors whenever they start feeling comfortable, you see chrystalline blue water, you see all kinds of flowers, and birds,  feeling free to fly and be, you see caves where MAYAN CEREMONIES are taking place. . . there is an ENERGY TO THE PLACE, that starts becoming apparent, when one has the time to relax, to let go, to empty oneself, . . .  By being here, at the Lake, I KNOW . . .  everything is ALRIGHT!

Next week, I will be going back to the lake with Alyse Nelson, President of Vital Voices Global.  Alyse wants to learn more about the MAYAN CALENDAR, and the knowledge that it embraces.  We will also be visiting Ana Luisa Cholotio, a young woman, determined to build a road for her community.  You will be hearing more about this.

In the meantime, I just wanted to share the feeling Lake Atitlan left in me.

Life is beautiful, once we find a way to RECONNECT and TRUST. . .

Last week, we gave a seminar to women leaders from Quiche in Guatemala, as part of a rural business incubation project, between Kiej de los Bosques and Save the Children.  It was a great opportunity to meet incredible women leaders, to learn about their dreams, their fears, and what they hope for their families and communities.

It was beautiful to see how throughout two days, the women started becoming aware of their leadership roles and their amazing potential.  What I did not expect, was to be nourished by these women in a way I had never experienced before.  One night, there was a CULTURAL EVENT.  I was almost ready not to go, when women knocked at my door.  They had brought an extra set of their BEAUTIFUL traditional mayan clothing from the region of NEBAJ, in Quiche, Guatemala.  I had never worn one of these before, and much less, been dressed by the women themselves.

When the women started dressing me, I just kept feeling nourished by them.  As the clothes started coming on, I started to feel transformed.   I started feeling the connection with the women . . . with the land . . . with the ancestors . . . I just became one with them!!!!

It must be that these clothes are made with such care, with such energy . . .

Thank you, women of Rabinal, for this gift . . . this gift of feeling your energy, the  land, the ancestors, the culture!!!

It felt like MAGIC!!!

Week of:  April 12 2010

I was recently at Babson College, in the Latin Entrepreneurship Forum, organized by students of Latin America at Babson.  It was an event where 30 speakers from 11 different countries in Latin America could share their experience as entrepreneurs and social entrepreneurs.    It was great to see Latin America highlighted as a region of opportunity and great challenges.

Of  all the topics discussed, one of the most important ones was the challenge to incorporate new people to income generating activities, as a very important step to solve the main challenges of poverty in the region.   At Wakami World, we know how important this is.  We know how people that have little hope once they have an opportunity to start a business and get a first check, are transformed by this . . . people once again have hope, feel connected and feel that a NEW WAY for a NEW FUTURE has been opened.

As a result of this forum, it became very evident that the private sector in Latin America and the US have a great role to plan in transforming the future:  by creating ways in which new groups of people can link to their supply chains or provide services for them . . . bringing more people into circles of prosperity . . . those that happen when people have a source of income, their work is valued and they feel connected to a society that cares about them, and is ready to give them an opportunity, so that they too, can make their dreams come to life!!  Inclussive businesses . .  is the way!

I will be  traveling to Sacala, the first village I worked with since 1992.  I will be  taking pictures for the new edition of Wakami´s Gate, which will be ready at the end of may.  I will be meeting Patricio, one of the best friends I made there.  We are taking pictures of the tree plantations they have established since then.  Now, it is 500 farmers planting trees each year!!