Empowered by Design

In 2007, CARE and Parsons The New School for Design began a journey with Ajkem’a Loy’a, group of women participating in a CARE project in San Lucas Toliman, Guatemala. Ajkem’a Loy’a connects local and global citizens to Mayan women through rich cultural stories told in the designs of handcrafted goods.

This year, a group of Parsons faculty and students returned to San Lucas Toliman to work side-by-side with Ajkem’a Loy’a for four weeks. Through a series of workshops, the women of Ajkem’a Loy’a developed their business and organizational skills and experimented with new tools and technologies. They also experimented with non-traditional patterns and the first-time use of sewing machines. And  learned about navigating the complexities and rewards of fair trade. They even found new friends and business partners along the way!

Together, The New School, CARE and Ajkem’a Loy’a have begun to push the limits of traditional design to bridge the gap between products, cultures and lives.

• Read stories from the Parsons The New School for Design trip to Guatemala
• Visit a blog on the students’ experiences and ongoing work with Ajkem’a Loy’a