Confecciones La Colorada, Isla Tasajera

 

Yesterday we went to Tasajera Island to visit with one of the artisan groups that CIS

works with--¨Confecciones La Colorada¨ who make the lovely ¨bolsas de Cati¨(Cati

bags). All of the women were busy at work when we arrived--cutting, measuring,

pinning and sewing their beautiful bags of varying sizes and designs, all made of

colourful, locally hand-woven fabrics. Immediately they stopped working and came out

to welcome us with hugs, kisses and bright smiles.

After walking around and admiring their work, we sat down with them to discuss and

evaluate their progress over the last year, to better understand their work, challenges and

goals, and the ways in which CIS can continue to help.

These women have been industrious enough to begin the challenging

process of certification as an accredited Salvadoran cooperative so

that they will be eligible to acquire government contracts to make

school uniforms. To accomplish this, they need to deal with quite a bit

of paperwork, garner support from the directors of the schools in their

community, make samples and present themselves at a government

job fair. This poses unique challenges such as transportation from their

isolated community into San Salvador, acquiring (or making)

professional attire to present themselves in, training in interview skills and formal language. The group remains

resolute and determined to succeed. They hope to truly establish themselves as a business and a recognized

brand, so that they will be able to employ even more women from their community. With all of the progress

they have made so far, I have no doubt that they will soon accomplish their goals, as well as CIS’ ultimate

goal for them of independence.

After the evaluation portion of the meeting, I had the opportunity to ask some more

personal questions and they were happy to share their experiences with us:

Most of them hadn’t even dreamed of completing

secondary school before joining the group, but since

starting to work there, they now have acquired the

financial stability to support themselves going back

to school, providing for their own children to

continue schooling, and even planning to attend

university. ¨Las Confecciones¨ has provided a way out from the ¨maquilas¨ for some, and for others, a sense

of independence and personal power in a society where women are expected to stay at home, minding the


house and the children. The workshops and training that CIS helped to

provide them have opened their minds to a new way of thinking, and a

real drive for gender equality in their society. Some of their partners

and others in their community weren’t very supportive, thinking that

they were wasting their time and neglecting their womanly duties, but

with every garment they sell, they prove them wrong.  And even more

than these financial, educational, and perhaps political changes in their

lives, what touched me most was the friendship and support system they provide to each

other. Everyone got teary-eyed when one woman talked about how much the others

helped her through her troubles with domestic abuse, and others talked about hard times

in their lives when the group was there to support them in solidarity.

"It’s not like in the maquilas where if I get too sick

to work one day, I lose my job. Here our conditions

are so much better, and we are like our own

bosses.¨I couldn’t help wishing that I was a rich

philanthropist to donate all the funds they need

for their cause. With Bolsas de Cati you aren’t just

buying a bag—you’re investing in a brighter future for deserving and hardworking women.

-Alicia Richins, York University Intern