Artisan Development Team Hosts Commercialization Workshop

Ashley Ford
Artisan Development Director

​Throughout the year the Artisan Development team stays busy by creating samples of new products, quality checking products, visiting with artisans and keeping our online stores up to date. One of the most important goals of the Artisan Development program is to train the artisans on various topics which will help to facilitate their work and help them to become more self-sustainable.

​This July, we held a two-day workshop at our office in Panajachel and had the participation of six different artisan groups. The workshop focused on commercialization, but we also spoke about other related topics. One of the main focuses was on creating a catalog to showcase products, which the artisans were very interested in. We also brainstormed different ways the various artisan groups can find new markets to sell their products. 

Artisan participants work on creating a catolog of their products

Another important topic of the workshop was on having a board of directors for their group and sharing the responsibility of the board with the whole group. Other topics that we covered were having good communication for orders with clients, a summary of how to calculate prices, and color trends. Calculating prices and color trends are two workshops we have done in the past with various artisan groups. We wanted to take the opportunity to review past workshop content on these topics with the artisans, as they are so important to having a product that sells and is fair to the artisan.  Unfortunately, many artisans in Guatemala are exploited and do not receive a fair wage for their work. When they sell their products on the streets, many times they barely make enough to cover the costs of materials, much less cover their time to make the product.  Sharing the Dream is a registered member of the Fair Trade Federation, and the artisans receive a fair wage which reflects the time and effort that they put into each handmade piece. As part of the Artisan Development program, we also do workshops on quality control, exportation, and adding value to products. 

Artisan participants work together to create pricing for a product

​One of the most interesting parts of the workshop was hearing the experiences of the artisans and having them share their experiences with one another. Through sharing their experiences, they realized that many of them have faced similar challenges and were able to benefit from the ideas of others about how to overcome those challenges. We love it when the artisans are able to support and learn from each other.  

Artisans from different groups share their experiences and help each other to overcome the challenges that they face

By participating in the commercialization workshop, the artisans learned new strategies for selling their products, which helps them to find more work and make new contacts with people who can support their businesses. Having a product catalog allows them to reach out to new potential clients in a professional manner which can lead to new orders. When artisans receive work, they are able to support themselves and their families, as well as invest money back into their businesses to continue to help them grow. When they receive an order from a client and are paid a fair wage, it gives them the economic resources to send their children to school and get adequate healthcare for their families, both of which have the power to provide positive generational differences for them and their families. 

Artisans participate in an activity during the commercialization workshop

By purchasing the crafts in one of our brick and mortar stores in South Dakota, through our Retail Website, or through our Wholesale Website, you help to support the artisans, and you help to support the Artisan Development program so that we are able to continue hosting workshops for the artisans.  You can also make a donation to the Artisan Development program so that we can continue to host workshops for the artisans.  For $20 you can provide a scholarship for an artisan to participate in a workshop or for $200 you can sponsor a one-day long workshop for an artisan group.   https://www.sharingthedream.org/donate.html

Artisans play an ice breaker game at the July workshop

Artisans playing an ice breaker game at the July workshop

An artisan and Isabel, the Artisan Development Coordinator, take a break from working to play a game during the workshop