New Life Artisan Cooperative

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The Cooperative’s mission is to provide Colombian refugees living in Ecuador with a means to support themselves financially while they become established in their new country by helping them sell their artisan products in the US, Europe, and Latin America. The cooperative consists of Ecuadorians and Colombians, which helps integrate refugees into the community and provides a space to foster positive relationships between the two groups. All products are made out of recycled or natural materials with an emphasis on ensuring that the artisans receive a fair price for their work.

The group, which at this time consists solely of women, creates bags, jewelry, aprons, hats, and cases for electronics out of used plastic bags, scraps of fabric, citrus peels, seeds, and stones. We are currently seeking design ideas from students in the US and Ecuador. Artisans work from home and meet twice a week to turn in completed work and talk about logistics; food is provided at the meetings by a branch of the UN.
The primary goal of the cooperative is to give artisans financial independence, but it also serves to provide a support network for dealing with the traumas associated with forced migration and help refugees integrate into their new home through local participation in the group.
As part of the initiative, participants are offered free English classes, taught by volunteer university students at a local high school, which aid them in communicating with potential clients.
We are seeking financial assistance to cover materials, shipping, and product development