In rural Guatemala, women too often find themselves stuck in a vicious cycle of poverty. Kiej de los Bosques, a company founded in 2004, aims to end this cycle of poverty, and in its place establish a “cycle of prosperity.” Kiej de los Bosques envisions a world in which communities from around the globe can unite by sharing their stories through their artisan work.

There are two Guatemalan entities that work hand in hand : -Communities of the Earth, a Guatemalan non-profit that gives professional training to rural groups of women and transforms them into locally owned induvidual businesses -Kiej de los Bosques, a social business that designs and exports the handmade products made by these women.

Some numbers :
350 workers of which 96% are women
Children of the workers have 75% higher school enrollment than the national average
60% of these children have improved their nutritional status
44% of the families have invested in and improved their homes in communites with limited access to electricity, clean water and suitable housing.

Over the last decade, Kiej de los Bosques has employed an ever-growing number of women artisans, who have been able to provide for themselves and their families; build their communities; and feel optimistic about the future. Recently, Kiej de los Bosques has grown, expanding its work into Panama, where it hopes to reach new markets and artisan groups.