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"More than anything it is important for women to be capable of managing their resources independently of men." - Hermelinda Pacheco (above right, working with her Redmi colleague Maria)

We asked Hermelinda Pacheco, a Redmi production mentor, why she started Redmi and launched the Catrinka Girls Project, and she said simply that “forced, unpaid work and early marriage” of girls like her is simply “not normal”. She is committed "to make a change in the lives of girls through development of workshops, giving the girls information and training.”

What's Next

After producing their first order of bracelets, Redmi recruited another 37 AO girls to produce the second order, and started identifying additional participants.

To date, the program has reached 3 communities and 80+ girls of ages 15-19 in the Momostenango region. The Redmi leaders are determined to scale their operation and continue to learn how to make salable product while solidifying the skills acquired through AO. In the expansion process, Redmi will work to identify additional AO girls based on two criteria: those that would benefit most from such a program and also those who could be resources and mentors to others. With each successive order of Catrinka bracelets, Redmi and the Catrinka Girl Project hopes to recruit more girls to participate in the co-op while also cultivating a business that produces product our customer loves.

NB: Catrinka thanks the incomparable Rita Vinnik for her invaluable help with this post!

El Salvador is a small, beautiful country plagued by some of the highest levels of violence in the world, driven by gangs and high levels of inequality. The violence has increased this year to the worst level since the country's civil war in the 1990s. Work for the collective is a lifeline for women seeking a better life for themselves and their families.

Vidalia del Carmen Duran (second from left), who has three children, and says of her work: "We are happy to be helping our homes and families and also because we are working in our own communities. We can all be with our kids and take care of our homes, without having to leave and look for work away, in the cities. That fact is something we are especially grateful for, to be able to work within our own community."  

The seeds are gathered by men in the community and sold to the women who make these products, which have a lovely weight and soul about them, and are sustainable. Brighten up your summer and glow into the fall with a tassel necklace or bracelet, all - of course - accented with hot pink!

With love from Vidalia, Ana Maria and the rest of the El Palmeral collective team - and us here at Catrinka too.