The women of varying ages from teens to twight gather in a circle huddled around the laptop practicing how to negotiate prices of their woven goods in English.
After the lesson we discuss why they want to learn English.
"Most of the tourists here speak English. At the meeting we decided you can sell more if you can speak English."
"The meeting" is a group of several different women's groups that come together to discuss business practices and techniques. 20 years ago the weavings all looked similar. Today flowers, glittery thread, and more designs are incorporated into the clothes, in part, through this collaborative process of business planning.
"We are saving this year for computers and an on-line shop", explains an ancient woman sitting on the dirt floor.
The women's organization has developed processes of self-evaluation and progress. The women weigh options, share experiences, and decide how to move forward to get better prices and produce more desirable products. Before the tourism boom, weaving was solely for clothing local families.
The women have learned to take control over their products and create systems to secure better prices and wider audiences.
No comments:
Post a Comment