This year's Women’s Month theme is “Give to Gain.” We are featuring a few of our fair trade partners that foster generosity, collaboration, and action to drive gender parity in the communities in which they work. This mindset invests in a bright future for the next generation.
This week, we are proud to share more about UPAVIM Crafts from Alisa Woofter, the U.S. Director of Sales. The organization is run by six women in La Esperanza, Guatemala. They partner with a three-woman team in the U.S. for marketing and distribution.
Every fair trade business begins with someone willing to give—time, trust, opportunity. What were you hoping to “give” in those early days? How has your impact grown since then?
UPAVIM was founded more than 35 years ago. After retiring in the United States, Barb Lorraine traveled to Guatemala to study Spanish before planning to continue to El Salvador to volunteer. She stopped in La Esperanza—a rural squatters settlement—and never left. What she encountered was a group of women determined to build a better future for their families but without access to stable work or educational opportunities.
Together with the women of the community—including Angela Bailon, who now serves as our Crafts Director—they built the cooperative from the ground up. There was no funding, no established structure, just women willing to try.
What began as a small craft initiative to generate income and support children’s education has grown into a multifaceted organization. Today, UPAVIM includes a K-6 Montessori school, a daycare, a tutoring center, a community library, and an international craft sales project that provides sustainable artisan employment.
The craft project in particular has evolved significantly over the years. Seven years ago, I stepped into the role of U.S. Director, working to expand our wholesale and retail partnerships and strengthen the bridge between the artisans in Guatemala and customers abroad. My role builds on the foundation laid by those before me—helping the cooperative adapt, grow, and remain sustainable in a changing global marketplace.
All the women and partners that have helped UPAVIM have been willing to give but also have a strong sense to make lives better. Angela herself had opportunities to pursue other professional paths over the years, but she chose to stay. Her decision reflects the heart of UPAVIM: long-term commitment over short-term advancement. That same spirit can be seen in the many volunteers, church groups, grant partners, and the volunteer Board of Directors in the United States who have given their time and leadership to help the cooperative grow.
Most importantly, it is reflected in every woman who has been an UPAVIMA—past and present. Each has contributed to shaping the organization into what it is today.
UPAVIM exists because people chose to give—their time, their talent, their resources, and their belief in one another. The result has been more than income. It has been dignity, stability, and opportunity passed from one generation to the next.
What’s a typical daily schedule like at UPAVIM? What are the benefits of this fair trade work environment?
Women hold different roles within the organization, and each one contributes to the larger whole. Angela, our Crafts Director, works daily to ensure the craft project moves forward strategically and sustainably. Elsa oversees quality control, coming into the office each morning to review products and maintain standards. Sonia manages raw materials, preparing and cutting fabric so production runs smoothly. Christy leads design development, while Gloria works in the warehouse handling inventory and fulfillment.
Beyond these operational roles, many artisans are sewers. Most prefer to work from their homes. They come to the workshop to collect prepared materials and then sew on their own schedules. This flexibility allows them to raise children, care for family members, and manage household responsibilities while earning steady income. Other women choose to work in the shared workshop space, where sewing machines are available and community interaction is part of the daily rhythm.
Within UPAVIM, women also serve as teachers in the Montessori school, caregivers in the daycare, cleaners, administrative staff, and leadership positions. Many artisans serve on internal committees such as the education or scholarship committees, participating in meetings and governance that guide the organization forward.
All UPAVIMAS are women. Men do not work in our offices or school. Over the years, this has created a deeply safe and supportive space for women. In the surrounding community, traditional gender roles can limit women’s ability to work outside the home. If the workplace had included both men and women, some artisans may not have been permitted by family members to participate at all. The women-led structure of the cooperative has made employment accessible in a way that might otherwise not have been possible.
The cooperative model provides safe working conditions, transparent wages, predictable income, leadership opportunities, and flexibility. In contrast, alternatives in marginalized communities often include unstable informal labor, domestic work with long hours and low pay, or factory employment with rigid schedules and little voice in decision-making.
At UPAVIM, shared success is not symbolic. It is woven into daily operations. Every role matters, and every woman contributes to sustaining the organization for the next generation.
“Give to Gain” reminds us that when women are supported, entire communities benefit. What intentional actions does your organization take to foster gender parity and ensure women feel valued and equal?
At UPAVIM, fostering gender parity begins with structure. The cooperative is women-led at every level, from artisan production to administration to committee leadership. Women participate in decision-making, budgeting discussions, program development, and long-term planning.
One of our most intentional investments has been in education. In addition to operating a K–6 Montessori school, daycare, tutoring center, and community library, we have provided scholarships for UPAVIMAS and their family members to pursue advanced education. Many second- and third-generation children of UPAVIM artisans have graduated from university and now hold professional, well-paying jobs.
Economically, the impact has been transformative. Many of our artisans are raising their families on their UPAVIM income alone. They are not forced into situations where they must depend on a partner for financial survival. In households where income is shared, many women earn wages equal to or close to their spouse’s earnings. This has shifted household dynamics, strengthening women’s voices in financial and life decisions.
Over time, we have seen confidence grow. Women serve on committees, lead teams, mentor others, and participate actively in shaping the cooperative’s direction. Children grow up watching their mothers work, manage finances, and contribute economically.
When women are economically empowered and supported through education and leadership opportunities, the effects ripple outward. Families become more stable. Educational attainment increases. Gender dynamics evolve. What begins as fair wages becomes long-term transformation within the community.
What advice would you give to girls and young women who want to take action for causes they care about? How can they start practicing a “give to gain” mindset in their own communities?
As someone raising two young girls, I think often about this question.
I believe strongly in exposure and education. You cannot learn to “give to gain” if you don’t understand the world around you. That understanding comes from learning about social issues, listening to different perspectives, traveling when possible, and stepping outside your own comfort zone. Awareness builds empathy, and empathy fuels meaningful action.
My advice to young women is to start by paying attention. Ask questions. Be curious about how systems work. A “give to gain” mindset begins with contribution, but it also requires humility. Give your time. Offer your skills. Be willing to learn from the people you hope to support.
Sustainable change is built through relationships and long-term commitment. When young women educate themselves about the world and choose to engage thoughtfully with it, they begin practicing “give to gain” in ways that ripple outward.
Is there a woman artisan whose story reminds you why this work matters, and how generosity can lead to growth, dignity, and shared success?
Angela’s story continually reminds me why this work matters.
As one of the founding members of UPAVIM, she has remained committed through every season—both hopeful and heartbreaking. She has faced profound personal challenges, including being forced out of her community due to gang violence and enduring the devastating loss of a child. Yet she remained connected to UPAVIM and returned with determination to help strengthen the cooperative.
Her leadership has been defined by presence and commitment. She has mentored countless artisans, guided production, and remained steady through change. She chose long-term impact over short-term opportunity.
Her story also reflects how generosity moves in multiple directions. Volunteers, church groups, grant partners, board members, retail stores, and customers who purchase UPAVIM products have all contributed to sustaining the cooperative. Every wholesale order and retail purchase helps create stability for artisans and their families.
At the same time, Angela has been deeply generous with her leadership, mentorship, and unwavering commitment. Her dedication has helped create opportunity for other women, many of whom now support their families with dignity and confidence.
When I think about “give to gain,” I think about this mutual investment. Generosity from partners and customers has strengthened UPAVIM. Angela’s generosity—and the generosity of every UPAVIMA—has strengthened the community in return. The result is shared success: resilient women, educated children, and a cooperative sustained by collective commitment.