Ecuador
Before lockdown in 2020, our centre in the Santo Domingo province of Ecuador provided training for people with a wide range of disabilities in paper-making, jewellery, screen-printing and sewn textiles, giving our disabled artisans skills that they could use to become self employed artisans or seek work within the many crafts based projects and businesses in Ecuador.
As in other parts of South America, people living with disabilities are often to be found on the margins of their society, excluded from employment and therefore consigned to a life of poverty. These are bright, capable people who long for the same chances as everyone else.
Hope and a Future
Our team in Ecuador have seen amongst the biggest challenges this past 5 years at Artizan International due to economic and political challenges in the country, but we are pleased to be actively seeking partner organisations to work with in finding a new ways to deliver our work there. The initiative truly reflects our mission of ensuring that our beneficiaries lead the way in shaping activities that empower people with disabilities to live more independent and fulfilling lives.
By working with— not just for —those we aim to support, together, we will co-design and co-produce a new strategic direction for our operations in Ecuador, ensuring that the voices of those often pushed to the margins guide our path forward.
Handmade in Ecuador
We sell the beautiful handmade cards that Ramon, Pedro, Federico & all their colleagues make, in the best card shops in Quito, the capital of Ecuador. Also in the Galapagos Islands, Mindo & elsewhere. We also sell through Fair Trade shops around the UK including our own in Harrogate, and have an online shop too.
Meet some of our Artisans
