INTERNATIONAL SERVICE UPDATE

Our Global Grant in Guatemala City to provide vocational and leadership training to women previously working in the garbage dump, is proceeding well and we have received a report recently (see below). 8 women have received jobs in the private sector, higher paying with health benefits, which is wonderful. Previously, social sigma made this very difficult. Here is the report from Creamos.

 

As we begin the year 2020, we’re excited to update you on the progress we’ve made in implementing our proposed project. With our application, we requested funding to implement a Leadership Training Program and a Skill Development program for 151 women living in the community surrounding the Guatemala City garbage dump (GCGD). These women previously relied on risky employment activities, including scavenging through the garbage dump for recyclables and transactional sex, to make a living.

In an effort to disrupt this narrative, the proposed project was designed to support these women in developing marketable leadership and job skills within a safe and sustainable working environment, contributing to both the immediate and long-term economic development of the community. This progressive model will allow for a significant expansion of the current vocational training program. By training peer leaders, the proposed project will increase the organization’s ability to move women off the waiting list and out of the garbage dump into income-generating activities. This project will increase the income of women in extreme poverty, provide work that will be more compatible with raising their families and will increase management skills, economic independence, and self-confidence.

 

Of significant celebration, 2 Creamos participants, who have participated in Creamos’ leadership program and received the skill-building workshop from consultants provided by the Global Grant, have secured formal employment in a well-known international company called The New Denim Project which is based out of Guatemala City. This opportunity will pay women minimum wage, which is equal to four times what women would make working in the garbage dump. In addition, women will all receive health insurance for themselves and their children.

 

 

With this proposed program, 15 participants were selected for the 12-week Leadership Training Program based on a cumulation of their demonstrated need, identified goals, and leadership potential. To date, 6 participants have graduated and 9 remaining participants are expected to graduate by April 2020. Through the Leadership Training Program, graduates learned about management, conflict resolution, skill-building facilitation, quality control, and production efficiency. Upon graduation and/or throughout their course, these participants were invited to participate in five certificate modules facilitated by professional consultants in the focus areas of screen printing, textiles (complex accessories & home goods), t-shirt making, jewelry making, and 3B production skills (baskets, bow ties). These programs have and will continue to take place during the first few months of the new year. Once they’ve completed these training modules, program participants will in-turn relay these skills to new program participants through the Community Training Program.

 

Specific project updates include the following: 

 

 

During Stage 1 of the proposed project, the Leadership Management Consultant (Kelsey Komich, LICSW) created a comprehensive and community-based curriculum that fosters current leadership practices, preparing participants for their future roles as peer leaders. In tandem with this curriculum development, Kelsey also developed a pre-test that was distributed to all participants to test their pre-workshop understanding of the concepts explored through the training. Kelsey then recruited potential participants from the three existing income-generating programs (jewelry, sewing, and production). These participants each completed individual interviews to assess their compatibility for participation in the curriculum.

 

 

During Stage 2, the Leadership Management Consultant facilitated the leadership training curriculum for the first 6 participants. The first graduates were a pilot program that took place in September and finished in November. We’re excited to report that all 6 participants completed the 12-week course with a 100% attendance rate. Kelsey reports that all members took participation in the group seriously and were engaged in the group weekly. Also noteworthy, this time period was marked by high stress in the sewing workshop due to the high volume of orders associated with the launch of our new collection. In addition to the items in the curriculum, the leadership course also served as a space to address stress management techniques including non-violent communication, giving and receiving feedback, and team building within the initiative. All 6 participants completed a post-test upon the conclusion of the program, and we’re currently in the process of comparing pre and post-tests to assess the impact of the program. The Leadership Training Manual has been completed and handed into Bruce Friesen.

 

Here are some key take-a-ways from the training:

 

 

An additional 9 women were recruited as Leadership Training participants but were unable to complete the 12-week session this fall due to an increase in production orders.

 

These participants will complete their remaining 8 sessions between March and April 2020 

 

6 Leaders Graduated → Sewing, Screen Printing & BowTies

9 Pending leaders to graduate → Jewelry, Multicolor

 

 

Graduates of the Leadership Training Program have been invited to begin the Skill Workers Training Program. During this stage, professional consultants train leaders in the skill-building modules of their choice. These modules include screen printing, sewing, screen printing, jewelry, and production initiatives (Triple B). Through this component of the project, leaders have increased their proficiency in their selected craft and develop their ability to replicate the training for new participants. Leaders have the option to participate in a maximum of two Skill Workers Training Program.

 

 

At this point, five Leadership Program participants have completed the jewelry module with external consultant Laura Spillari, the owner and founder of Xibalba Jewelry. Laura has provided a 6-day workshop to 2 leaders in training and another 2-day workshop for 3 additional leaders. In both workshops leaders learned new techniques and modalities, and experimented with incorporating new materials into their repertoire. Further, the latest skill building training has been focused on yet another technique in which leaders will be crafting their recycled jewelry with paint and naturally dyed threads. This training is expected to conclude by February 2020. The five leaders will participate in a final workshop in April 2020.

 

 

Marta Irene was the chosen sewing consultant, who has over 30 years of sewing experience. She facilitated intensive skill building workshops with the leaders focused techniques to make T-shirts, more advanced textile techniques, quality control and production efficiency. Further, she went above and beyond her role, and has supported the leaders implement these learned techniques in Creamos’ sewing workshop. Marta Irene has continued to exceed expectations, and has committed to provide technical supervision as leaders provide training to the community training participants.

 

 

The screen printing consultants were provided by one of the most reputable sewing companies in Guatemala called Frem color and Salto Producciones. They have trained 2 Creamos leaders, which has been instrumental to Creamos’ production success. Their training began with increasing the efficiency and quality of the preparatory steps in screen printing, ensuring Creamos could do all steps in house. In addition, they taught leaders how to screen print with up to four colors. These skills have, and will continue to dramatically enhance the overall quality of their screen printing, increase sales opportunities, and therefore, contribute to the overall financial sustainability of Creamos.

 

 

Baskets :

 

Multicolor, the basket weaving company, creates products out of 99% recycled plastic. Multicolor has donated their own trainer’s time, to train four leaders in training in various

products and techniques. Leaders have graduated from four extensive training sessions which focused on different types of products, techniques, quality control, and production processes. Leaders were trained in approximately 15 products.

 

Bow Ties:

 

In 2019, Creamos partnered with a Bow Tie company called Brackish to create more job opportunities for members of the Creamos community. Brackish donated their time, and personal and flew two of their staff members down to train four leaders. These leaders participated in an intensive two and half day workshop where they were trained in every detail of the process, timed on their agility, and evaluated.

 

 

 

On February 10, 2020, Creamos began the implementation of the Community Training Program for sewing. Throughout this 24 week course, the six Creamos’ sewing leaders are providing structured community class to new participants recruited from the community, as well as training to Creamos’ production team. February will be the first month 6 leaders will receive a stipend, as they are beginning to facilitate class. Creamos has just completed the third week of the training program and will be intricately tracking attendance to monitor drop out rate. It is important to note that women who demonstrate dedication, and a high skill level throughout the training course will be invited to participate in Creamos’ production initiative. There, they will receive an incentive to support financial needs during the training process.

 

In total, Creamos is currently providing the training program for:

 

25 new women in Community Training Program

9 women in Creamos’ production

 

 

There are 2 leaders who graduated from the Screen Printing Skill Building Program. Leaders are currently providing extensive screen printing training to 13 women in Creamos’ production initiative. Participants are learning how to screen print up to four colors.

 

 

Jewelry: Upon the conclusion of the Skilled Workers Training Program, the first two participant leaders led a jewelry training for 21 women in Creamos’ jewelry program to teach them how to produce the new learned styles. Laura, the jewelry consultant supervised leaders as they disseminated technical information. These styles are part of our new collection and can be found on our website ( https://www.creamosfuturos.com/shop ). In February 2020, a different group of three leaders facilitated a workshop for the remaining 20 women, using new material and techniques including naturally dyed thread. This collection is planned to launch in March 2020 in celebration of

International Women’s Day. It is important to note that these are not unique clients - the same participants have received both training sessions.

 

Training #1 - 2 leaders→ 21 women

Training #2 - 3 leaders→ 20 women

 

 

Bow Ties: The four leaders are currently training 2 new members to participate in the bow tie initiative. New members are anticipated to begin production in the next few months.

 

Baskets : Given the great demand of Multicolor, the 4 leaders decided it would be best if they train the 6 new members while they simultaneously begin to produce. Although this is a different modality and most participants will most likely not be up to speed, leaders feel confident that this is the best decision for the group and Creamos’ relationship with Multicolor.

 

The Leadership Management consultant, Kelsey Komich, is providing weekly supervision to leaders ensuring they are incorporating all of the learned skills and management techniques learned in the training.