Kiej de los Bosques

Guatemala

In rural Guatemala, women too often find themselves stuck in a vicious cycle of poverty. Kiej de los Bosques, a company founded in 2004, aims to end this cycle of poverty, and in its place establish a “cycle of prosperity.” Kiej de los Bosques envisions a world in which communities from around the globe can unite by sharing their stories through their artisan work. Over the last decade, Kiej de los Bosques has employed an ever-growing number of women artisans, who have been able to provide for themselves and their families; build their communities; and feel optimistic about the future. Recently, Kiej de los Bosques has grown, expanding its work into Panama, where it hopes to reach new markets and artisan groups.

2017 Scholarship Program:  Funds to support scholarships for girls

Of the 2 million children in Guatemala that do not attend school, the majority are girls living in rural areas. It's not uncommon for girls to leave school by the age of 12, and this lack of education means they are the most vulnerable to early marriage, frequent childbearing, violent danger, injustice and chronic poverty. Your purchase of Th(E) Bracelet provides rural Guatemalan girls with the resources they need to fulfill their dreams of education. This scholarship program will help to lighten the burden of school costs on Guatemalan families, going towards school registration, tuition fees, travel expenses, school uniforms, and supplies like textbooks.

Artisan Voices

“I believe that all women in the world are capable of doing anything we want, and in everything we do - we do with love. I value my work, and this work is the way to make my dreams come true. I have big dreams for my family.”
— Matilda