From the rainforest of Southern Belize where the Mayas have lived and roamed for over 2000 years, come MayaBags®, a line of purses, travel-organizing and gift bags, resort and fitness bags, and items for the home, all hand-embroidered or hand-woven by Maya women. MayaBags® works in villages of the Maya Mountains and currently with over 90 women.
We offer Maya women the opportunity to become income earners and, as such, to give them independence within their household and build their self-esteem within their community. By providing training, work and a market, MayaBags® also supports the continuation of the Mayas' traditional hand skills of embroidery, back strap looming and basket coiling.
The women are paid good market wages up front for every piece they embroider or weave, and we uphold principles of Fair Trade.
In addition to embroidering or weaving, all of our products are carefully sewn, detailed, and packaged by Maya women in our sewing workshop in Punta Gorda, Belize. From start to finish, MayaBags® products are made by Maya women.
The women maintain control of their money and most often use their money to help their children attend school. While the lower schools in Belize require families to buy uniforms, books and pay for transportation for their children, high school education requires an annual tuition as well. Maya women are dedicated to their children and beyond providing basic necessities for them, the women all hope their children will gain an education, as they see this as a crucial step to help lift their children out of poverty.
The Maya women in the villages where we work own 42% of Belize Crafts, Ltd. while a conservation organization, The Toledo Institute for Development and the Environment (TIDE), owns 7%.
While we focus our effort on helping Maya women, we recently have begun to support male Maya artisans as well. It is important for the men to see that MayaBags® also supports them and their desire for a better life..
Before shopping or exploring other aspects of MayaBags® , if you would enjoy seeing videos produced about MayaBags® , select from either of the following. The first was produced by two well-known multi-media journalists, Talisman Brolin and Jeremy Bales. The second was produced for Love TV in Belize and is presented by their well-known host, Mr. Patrick Jones. To watch, click on either video below.