Emadi

The Emadi artisan group includes five women who have developed a sewing business that specializes in products made from Shipibo, a hand-painted cloth that is produced in the Peruvian jungle. Grupo Emadi buys the cloth directly from a Shipibo woman and sews placemats, runners, purses, bags, vests, and other products that show off the incredible material.

The women, who have worked together for 3 years, meet in a room of one of their homes each day for a couple of hours.  From their sales, Grupo Emadi has invested in a sewing machine and materials in bulk so they can produce steadily throughout the year.  As a small group they make their decisions by consensus and rotate each year the location of their workshop and who is responsible for the finances.

Fair Trade has taught the group how to file taxes and how to manage and operate a legal business. Grupo Emadi often goes to fairs in Lima to sell their products and those of other artisan groups who live outside of Lima and otherwise wouldn`t have the opportunity to sell. Their good recordkeeping and willingness to sell has been deeply appreciated by others.

The women of Grupo Emadi met each other through a project in which their children received after-school enrichment. Maria was a seamstress who worked in her home sewing for neighbors. Eluteria and Dionisia cooked in the project´s kitchen as volunteers so that their children could get one free meal. Maria has 3 children and her husband makes jewelry. Eluteria has 4 children and her husband does day work when there are jobs available. Dionisia has 3 children, one of whom is now able to attend a special school for those with Down´s Syndrome thanks to the income she receives from her Fair Trade creations. “The children seem very proud of their mothers´ work and have become quite adept at selecting quality Shipibo fabric,” said Bridge of Hope employee, Ruth Farrell.

Members:

Maria Castro, Eluteria Rameres, Dionisia Ramos, Ester Huaringa, Rita Cholan