Our final Women’s History Month feature (for this year!) spotlights Women of the Cloud Forest, co-founded by Amy Kofmehl-Sobkowiak. They have partnered with artisan workshops in Central and South America since 2001 to create products that will appeal to a wide audience. The Sobkowiaks visit the artisans twice a year so their relationships have a strong foundation! They provide English classes, micro loans, and workshop grants to support capacity building.
What inspired the start of Women of the Cloud Forest and what country/countries do you work in?
My husband and I are cheap backpack travelers. Back in 2000, we saved our money, put our belongings into storage and set off to Costa Rica with 2 large backpacks in tow. My husband had served in the Peace Corps in Honduras before we met and spoke Spanish. I was very interested in learning Spanish, thus the impetus of the trip. The year 2000 was just seeing the start of ecotourism in Costa Rica. We ended up living in the Cloud Forest area of Monteverde and volunteered to help build a community art center. We taught classes in jewelry making and cooking. We lived in the community for almost 18 months and formed some lovely friendships with the women with whom we were working. Before returning home, we decided to put a micro loan and purchased $1500 worth of artisan products to help create opportunity for some of our new friends. This was the beginning of Women of the Cloud Forest. Five women, hand-embroidering field guide bags for bird watchers and making jewelry with seeds from the rainforest to earn extra income for their households. Today we work with over 200 artisans mainly in Nicaragua and a couple of partners in Ecuador and Peru. This year, we have expanded to include three new partners in Nepal, who support women artisans. It’s been an amazing journey.
How is Women of the Cloud Forest organized and how many artisan groups do you currently partner with?
All of our artisan partners in Nicaragua work out of their homes. Our new partners in Nepal gather at workshop spaces.
We know that every business had to pivot during the pandemic. How has COVID impacted the way the artisans work and/or how you work with them?
The pandemic was really challenging for everyone worldwide. Luckily we were in a place with our business to be able to continue small orders for our partners and also to provide monthly food packages to support the families who were most vulnerable.
This year’s theme for International Women’s Day is “Innovation and technology for gender equality.” How do you use technology to benefit the business and the artisans’ lives?
When we started almost 23 years ago, international phone calls were very expensive and internet connectivity was limited. Today, we talk daily with our partners via Whatsapp, share spreadsheets on Google Drive and Facetime to see new product samples in real time. Truly amazing.
What is your personal favorite product and why?
My favorite products are our fused glass jewelry from a small women’s collective in Ecuador. These are made out of scraps of upcycled window pane glass, hand painted and then fired in a small kiln. Every one is unique and they are all so beautiful. I love the creativity of this group, their consistency in quality and attention to detail.
Women of the Cloud Forest recently donated over 170 fruit trees to their artisan partners on Ilsa Solentiname in Nicaragua.
When women work, the impact of the investment is greatly multiplied. What benefits or positive changes have you seen in the communities where the artisans work and live?
It is true that partnering with women creates many positive benefits for their families and communities. We have seen in one generation, women who only completed a sixth grade education, supporting their children who are now college graduates. We have the emotional support and sisterhood that women provide to each other. One of our newest partners in Nepal is an incredible organization called Local Women’s Handicraft who provides micro loans to women in their groups, educates girls about their bodies and health and is working to help women get citizenship papers. These women are a true inspiration to us.
We love your commitment to empowering others. What advice would you give to women and girls who are interested in getting involved in causes they are passionate about?
I believe we all have the power to offer opportunity to others and are in fact obligated as fellow sisters of this world to advocate for those who don’t have a voice. I sometimes imagine what the world would look like if everyone could reach out to just one person to offer an opportunity. Where we work in Nicaragua, sponsorship of a school student is only $100/year. In Nepal, our friends run an amazing project to help girls understand how to care for themselves and about menstruation for only $10 a girl. How you spend your money sends a message of your values and can directly impact others in such a positive way. Get involved. Don’t hesitate. Find an organization or cause that you are passionate about and make a difference.
What woman in your life has had the biggest impact on you personally?
My mother. She taught me what strength and resilience truly is. She is an advocate for those who are struggling, especially children. She is the first person to notice a child crying in church and will search in her purse for a little candy or something to distract them. When I was growing up, she was constantly telling my sisters and I that we could do anything and be anything in this world and to always remember those in need. She is very selfless and puts family before everything. I am the person I am today because of her humility and grace.
