Mercado Global
Location: Guatemala
Grant Amount: $28,061.99
Grantee Website: www.mercadoglobal.org
Areas of Impact: Economic Sustainability, Education & Literacy, Health
Mission of Mercado Global
Mercado Global is a nonprofit social enterprise that provides economic opportunities to indigenous women in rural Guatemala. Mercado Global connects emerging women entrepreneurs to international markets and provides tools to gain and maintain financial independence while breaking the cycle of poverty.
Summary
Indigenous women in Guatemala face some of the greatest global barriers to earning a sustainable income and providing for their children. Mercado Global connects women artisans in rural areas of Guatemala to international sales opportunities, helping them triple their average daily income. In a pioneering approach to long-term empowerment, MG pairs this income generation with education and training to break the cycle of poverty in rural areas. The proposed Power to Change program equips indigenous women with the tools and knowledge needed to lead their newly-formed businesses and build stronger, healthier lifestyles for their families and communities. Implementation takes place in Mercado Global’s partner communities of Sacatepéquez, Sololá, Chimaltenango and Totonicapán.
Why We Love This
Mercado Global artisans who are indigenous women produce great products. The program has very good training opportunities for the participants. It is designed to facilitate the participant’s economic independence, leadership skills and growth of family income.
Location Map
How DFW’s grant will be used
- Develop and strengthen community-based training curriculum in partnership with leading global health experts to make topics relevant and impactful for rural indigenous women who fall outside of other health education efforts.
- Empower women to adopt healthy practices in their families and communities, leading to less illness, decreased mortality rates, and increased well-being for their families.
- Increase the number of partner artisans taking leadership roles in their co-ops and communities. Since partnering with Mercado Global, 44% of artisans report holding a leadership position within their communities, such as holding office in their co-ops and participating on school boards.
- Bring in new additional trainer to lead the expansion of the Power to Change Program, reaching new and current groups with updated content and stronger curriculum that addresses the evolving needs of women artisans in taking on more challenging work.