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Mujeres Productoras - Women Producers of Cochineal
and Nopal: “Ya Tsedi Behña” (The Power of Women)
by Yolanda Millan, legal representative
Mujeres Productoras is an organization of 104 rural women
from the municipalities of Allende, Victoria, Tierra Blanca, Apaseo
el Alto and Dolores Hidalgo in the state of Guanajuato. It consists
of groups of women who work making baskets, clothing and nopal preparations.
The spokeswomen of the groups are: Florina Torres Rocha, Rosario Ordáz,
Herlinda Ramírez, Jovita Pérez Avila, Inés Mendieta
and Virginia González, who are in communication and coordinate
with Yolanda Millán, the legal representative of Mujeres Productoras,
to report on activities or needs of each group.
The origin of Mujeres Productoras arose from the desperate
need among rural women to contribute, and in many cases, take complete
responsibility for the economic well-being of their families. For the
past several decades, especially after the passage of NAFTA, there has
been an exodus of men from the countryside, migrating north in search
of work. The small farm economy has collapsed due to falling prices
for local agricultural products and the advantages of scale that favor
large agri-business enterprises. Thus many rural women are left alone
in their homes, having to take on the role of both mother and father,
while at the same time, taking care of their children, crops, and animals.
This situation has affected all women in the country.
The members of Mujeres Productoras are young girls and women, women
with different capabilities and older women. Upon entering the labor
market, every day they confront a series of shortages that arise from
the lack of capital for the purchase of raw materials, lack of specialization
in their activities and as a consequence an irregular presence of their
products in the market.
Mujeres Productoras have received grants and assistance
from governmental and private agencies, but still has many needs. Although
there is much to do, the most important step has been taken in the creation
of this project. Along the way, each woman has had achievements, support
from others and learning experiences, the most important being a belief
in oneself by becoming more self-managing and enterprising. Women Producers
is managing a store Ya Tsedi Behña located on Insurgentes #48
in the city of San Miguel de Allende. The purpose of this store is to
reduce the presence of intermediaries, to get better prices and a permanent
presence for the products made.
The participants in this commercialization project work
at different productive activities: 1) basket-making 2) preserves 3)
embroidery 4) textiles 5) handcrafts 6) candies
7) natural cochineal dye 8) natural nopal soaps, creams, shampoo and
hair gel 9) sewing of children’s and baby clothes, sheets and
tablecloths. In each of these activities, the women themselves are the
directors and producers, making this work a source of training and income
(in some cases, the only one) for the family. It is important to emphasize
that this work has been and is recognized within the community and municipality,
which gives the women more self-esteem and integral personal development
– a good example for future generations of sons and daughters.
It is also important to maintain different sources of
income for the continuation of this project, to benefit the many families
that believe in it and work in it. There are many women who are waiting
to see what will be the future of this organization, and whom we have
to motivate to join us in our dream, little by little making it a reality.
For these reasons, we invite you to become a part of this project, and
united, address the lack of materials and knowledge that exists in the
rural communities of our state.
For more information:
Yolanda Millán, (415) 155-8221, 152-2016, celular: 044-415-100-3120
yolandamillan@hotmail.com
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