I was hot and sweaty -- but determined to eventually find the location of the Esperanza en Accion shop and office! I had directions from "Asadas la Racachaca", a great little restaurant that EVERYBODY seemed to know about. It was my first introduction to it though! After wandering around lost for a while, I started over (again) with the instructions, and finally arrived at the green and cream house next to a church!
Although Shannon Howard, the founder and director of the project wasn't there at that moment, Yamileth and Kristen (right) were there and graciously showed me around. The display areas were full of typical Nicaraguan handicrafts, from pine baskets (above) and redware from the northern departments of Nicaragua, to ceramics from San Juan de Oriente, near Masaya, and marmolina (soapstone) carvings from the mountains of San Juan de Limay.
Esperanza En Accion is a very interesting organization - a 501(c) 3 designated organization for those who want to give tax-deductible donations. They buy directly from artisans and pay a "fair" price for the inventory. (For more information about fair trade, go to www.transfairusa.org) They work to establish long-term relationships with the artisans and from what I have been able to learn, they have been quite successful at this.
Esperanza En Accion becomes the intermediary between the artisans and the North American markets. Their work as intermediary however has goals beyond direct profit (for sustainability) to the intermediary organization by promoting economic independence and empowerment for the artisans themselves.
If you go to the Esperanza En Accion website, www.esperanzaenaccion.org, you will find much more about the work of the organization, plus brief stories of the lives, families and work of the artisans themselves.
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