San Juan, Guatemala

Partners since 2013

About

Ana Nineth Hernandez is a true visionary. A few years ago, most of her neighbors in San Juan de la Laguna worked in the unstable economic climate of harvesting coffee, living off less than $2 a day. Ana knew hope was possible, and so she founded Batz’ Textiles as a way to directly support her community, especially women, through work-based projects that connect people with the heirloom
technique of handwoven textiles.

Because of the portability of their projects, the women can work almost anywhere, from their homes to the local market. This flexibility allows them to become breadwinners for their families while being able to care for their young children at home. Recently, Ana became the first woman in her village to receive her
Masters in Business Administration.

  • San Juan, Guatemala

    Guatemala is a small Central American country whose name translates to "land of trees" in the Maya-Toltec language. Both the chocolate bar and blue denim were invented in Guatemala. It's a popular destination among travelers due to its
    unique heritage and natural beauty. Known as the Land of the Eternal Spring, the tropical weather and interwoven traditions make this region of the world perfect for culture lovers. There are 25 languages spoken in Guatemala. Spanish is the official and most spoken language.

Flourishing World Initiative Grant Recipient

  • Due to a drastic raise in rent by her former landlord, Ana was in need of a new workshop and store. The Flourishing World Initiative granted Ana with $20,000.
  • Combined with her own savings, Ana was able to build a beautiful new space that she opened in 2020.
  • Her store now welcomes customers from around the world and hosts workshops to show others the ancient heirloom techniques of natural dye-making and backstrap loom weaving.

Stories of Flourishing

  • Rosita
    Rosita grew up in extreme poverty, and spent her days in the field cultivating tomatoes with her father. Her mother taught her how to use the backstrap loom to weave textiles – a time-honored tradition in their region. In 2013, Rosita began work with Ana as a weaver. Thanks to her income, she and her husband were able to fund their children’s education and even start their own small coffee business. Today, Rosita is thankful that her flexible job allows her to care for her granddaughter while working from her home.
  • Antonia
    Antonia grew up in a family of 10 and knew she wanted a smaller family. She and her husband are now raising one daughter with the hopes she can go to university one day. Her husband is challenged to find consistent work in her remote village so Antonia is able to pay for her daughter’s school and, more recently, they made some much needed home repairs.

In the making…