News from Esperanza en Acción 

• In the end of August we very sadly said goodbye to our founder and Executive Director, Shannon Howard who moved back to the US to be with her family. 

• We also invited Emily Hewes, after five months with Esperanza en Acción, to step in as interim Executive Director. We are excited and confident about her leadership. 
  

• Our board of directors has seen a few changes in the past months. Many thanks to Jan Easley and Amy Shelton for their dedication to Esperanza over the past two years and welcome to Julia Holmer, a former Esperanza staff member to the board of directors.
  

• Our fall schedule has us spending more than 12 days outside of the office visiting artists. We will be all over the country checking in with them and investigating what support services we can provide for future development of their businesses.
  

• We are in the midst of reviewing the prices we pay for each individual piece of artwork and are helping artisans to find more ways to be efficient in their process to maintain a balance between their costs and what they receive for their pieces. We will continue to pay wages that help artisans lift themselves out of poverty.

• There are many educational events and holiday sales happening around the United States thanks to our dedicated volunteers. Check out our calendar and see what is happening near you!

• A new esperanza website has been launched! Check us out at at www.esperanzaenaccion.org
  

  Featured Artisans: Guadalupe Norori and Jacobo Potosme

"This is my home, and this is my history. And ceramics is what I know, it's what I love."
                                     
            -Gudadalupe Norori

Guadalupe Norori and her son Jacobo Potosme are both potters from the small village of San Juan de Oriente, located an hour south of the capital of Managua, Nicaragua. The family tradition of ceramics has been passed down for generations, with designs and influences dating back as far as the Mayan culture.

Guadalupe began supporting herself and her children through her work at a young age when her husband passed away, leaving her as the sole wage earner in the household. At the age of 14, Guadalupe's eldest son,  Jacobo began working in ceramics to support his mother and his brothers and sisters through his work. Now, at 19, he is continuing to develop his skills and support himself and his wife with the help of Esperanza en Acción.

Esperanza en Acción has been working with Guadalupe and Jacobo to help provide them access to fair markets in order to receive a fair wage for their work. In addition, both Guadalupe and Jacobo have benefited from consultations and suggestions on how to improve their quality and trainings on how to determine a fair price for their artwork.

Jacobo has expressed his gratitude for the assistance Esperanza en Acción has supplied to him in various areas. "In reality is has helped me a lot to improve the quality of my work. Every time I work on a new product I think of you, (Esperanza en Accion), and the quality that you have taught me to work with." Jacobo, similarly to many Nicaraguan artisans, was suprised and pleased by the acompaniment we provide to each artisan to help determine a fair price for each piece. "Many people want me to give them my work, without having to pay, but with Esperanza en Acción we went through the process of seeing the inversion that goes into each piece and the profit that we make, it was really helpful."

As a result of his work with Esperanza en Acción, Jacobo has been able to save money to continue his studies and take a course close to his home, something that is almost impossible for most artistans in Nicaragua as the little money they do earn is earmarked for daily expenses. Jacobo has aspirations of continuing to study in the University after he finishes his secondary education.

Guadalupe feels content with her work with Esperanza en Acción and the support that she has received. Guadalupe has been able to support her family and repair her house that was falling down around them. "Two years ago my house was falling down, it would have fallen down if it weren't for the help of Esperanza en Acción....We thank you, because these are things that we wouldn't have had otherwise, I feel content now."

Both Jacobo and Guadalupe have had the opportunity to stay in their small town and not only support themselves through the sale of their artwork, but have also been able to reach goals that would not have been possible without their relationship with Esperanza en Acción.

Esperanza en Acción is working to duplicate these same stories accross the country with more than 30 different artisan groups. We seek to keep these artisans employed and provide the resources to improve their lives through fair trade.

To read more stories about other artisans please visit our website at: www.esperanzaenaccion.org