Turning Traditional Craft Into a Valuable Skill

Handcrafted Bags
Empowering Women With Hope and Dignity

Empowering Women Through Sewing is a collaborative project between Food For The Poor and Mercado Global that creates sustainable income opportunities for women in impoverished communities in Guatemala and Honduras. At dedicated sewing centers, women are trained to produce high-quality handcrafted handbags and other items. Each handbag is a unique piece of art, created by skilled artisans who use traditional techniques passed down through generations—and this is the second year in a row that supporters can purchase these beautiful purses on our website.

By working part-time, artisans can earn up to $8 a day, enough to lift themselves and their families out of poverty within just a few months. Since its launch in 2018, the program has empowered more than 800 women artisans, positively impacting 2,800 people through fair wages, cultural preservation, and economic resilience. All the proceeds from the sales of the Mercado handbags on our website are directly reinvested in the partnership.