2007 Newsletter
Co-partners of Campesinas
901 Second Street, Alexandria, VA 22314 703-548-6713
E-mail: heinzen@verizon.net www.copartners.org
Co-partners of Campesinas
901 Second Street, Alexandria, VA 22314 703-548-6713
E-mail: heinzen@verizon.net www.copartners.org
Co-partners of Campesinas is a US based, 501(c)3 tax-exempt organization that supports New Hope and other associations
working for women’s education and empowerment in developing countries in Latin America. New Hope (La Nueva Esperanza in
Spanish) is an organization of sixty rural girls and women from four impoverished communities near Ilobasco, El Salvador, who
meet weekly to learn income-producing skills and advance the education of members and their children. The Asociación para el
Desarrollo Indígena de El K’iche (ADIK) is a women’s organization located outside of Chichicastenango, Guatemala with goals
similar to New Hope’s.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Guatemala Sewing and Design Classes
A focus on crafts design and development, begun last year, was the emphasis of this year’s four-day workshop in
Chichicastenango. Six donated sewing machines, packed in volunteers’ luggage, enabled us to set up a temporary
workshop before giving the machines to ADIK members.
Guatemala Sewing Class
Co-partners was fortunate to have Alice Fogel, a designer and custom clothier as a volunteer teacher for this year’s
Chichicastenango sewing classes. Alice conducted an advanced class in the morning and a beginners’ class in the
afternoons. Although weaving is done throughout indigenous areas of Guatemala, Chichi is the source of much of
Guatemala’s machine made clothing and crafts, produced primarily by men. The women were excited by the opportunity to
learn to sew on a machine, but it didn’t always sit well with their spouses. One husband who came to the class displaced
his wife, took over her machine and had to be told that the class was for women!
Volunteer Bonanza
This summer was Co-partners’ best year ever for volunteers. Five people worked with the project in Guatemala and eight
people supported the El Salvador project. Working with children while their mothers were in sewing classes has been a
favorite activity of past volunteers, especially ones who are new Spanish speakers, so it seemed that an organized children’
s program would be a good way to attract more volunteers. Four youth from the NOVA Catholic community in Arlington
committed to providing a weeklong, academic and recreational program for rural students ages 6-12. The church also
contributed a library of books for use in the camp and subsequent establishment of a small children’s library. The morning
program included drama, games, crafts, and sports, while in the afternoon students learned English.
Children choose and play games
Rosa Flores, association president, has indicated that older youth are currently of great concern to the community. Most
rural schools have only six grades, after which rural students must make an expensive commute to Ilobasco to attend higher
grades in an accelerated program whose quality is not as strong as the regular public school. Many rural youth who do not
see the subsistence agriculture of their parents as an acceptable lifestyle believe their only opportunity to find work is
immigration to the US. From her knowledge of the experience of a son who is in the US undocumented, Rosa knows that
life for undocumented immigrants in the US is as fraught with problems as is life in rural El Salvador. The Co-partners
board is struggling with how to respond to her request for youth training. A vocational skills camp? Funded
apprenticeships? The answer is not yet clear.
Eviction?
Since the beginning, Co-partners has benefited from space lent by the St. Miguel parish, first in a multi-purpose room in the
parish house and later in an ample salon with a tile floor at another location. Unfortunately, this year, the parish priest
decided to give the space that La Nueva Esperanza had occupied for five years to another, more politically connected
group and to move La Nueva Esperanza to less desirable quarters with a crude floor and a leaky roof. It was disappointing
to see that the poor are still so powerless and that even the clergy cater to economically better off city-dwellers. The
question for Co-partners and La Nueva Esperanza is: Are we ready to build and manage our own building. Might it be a
vocational school? This will be another question for the coming year.
Craft Sales
Craft sales have now become a permanent part of
our fund-raising efforts. Many new items purchased
in Guatemala this summer will be for sale in
Arlington in early December.
Recruiting for the 2008 Volunteer Trips
Volunteers with sewing and design skills are needed for next year’s volunteer trip to Guatemala. Volunteers with skills in
carpentry, electricity, plumbing or auto mechanics are sought for the El Salvador volunteer trip. The trips this year are
planned for late January or early February.
Peace Doves and Angels for Christmas Giving
For a contribution of $50 or more Co-partners will send a small angel or a dove (shown) from El Salvador, as a gift to the
person you indicate. Just send us the name and address of the recipient.
Co-partners of Campesinas, Board of Directors
Archer Heinzen, Chairperson
Rotating, Secretary
Jim Heinzen, Treasurer
Elizabeth Edwards
Jeannette Rodriguez
Marie Keefe
Joanne Murphy
Guatemala Volunteers
Catalina Ventura
Tomasa Guarcas Sis
La Nueva Esperanza, Board of Directors
Rosa Flores, President
Evelia Flores, Vice-President
María Delmy Bran, Secretary.
Maria Eduvina Peña, Treasurer
ADIK, Board of Directors
Ana Suar, President
Josefa Larios, Secretary,
Candelaria Ignatio, Treasurer
Sebastiana Toh, Vocal
working for women’s education and empowerment in developing countries in Latin America. New Hope (La Nueva Esperanza in
Spanish) is an organization of sixty rural girls and women from four impoverished communities near Ilobasco, El Salvador, who
meet weekly to learn income-producing skills and advance the education of members and their children. The Asociación para el
Desarrollo Indígena de El K’iche (ADIK) is a women’s organization located outside of Chichicastenango, Guatemala with goals
similar to New Hope’s.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Guatemala Sewing and Design Classes
A focus on crafts design and development, begun last year, was the emphasis of this year’s four-day workshop in
Chichicastenango. Six donated sewing machines, packed in volunteers’ luggage, enabled us to set up a temporary
workshop before giving the machines to ADIK members.
Guatemala Sewing Class
Co-partners was fortunate to have Alice Fogel, a designer and custom clothier as a volunteer teacher for this year’s
Chichicastenango sewing classes. Alice conducted an advanced class in the morning and a beginners’ class in the
afternoons. Although weaving is done throughout indigenous areas of Guatemala, Chichi is the source of much of
Guatemala’s machine made clothing and crafts, produced primarily by men. The women were excited by the opportunity to
learn to sew on a machine, but it didn’t always sit well with their spouses. One husband who came to the class displaced
his wife, took over her machine and had to be told that the class was for women!
Volunteer Bonanza
This summer was Co-partners’ best year ever for volunteers. Five people worked with the project in Guatemala and eight
people supported the El Salvador project. Working with children while their mothers were in sewing classes has been a
favorite activity of past volunteers, especially ones who are new Spanish speakers, so it seemed that an organized children’
s program would be a good way to attract more volunteers. Four youth from the NOVA Catholic community in Arlington
committed to providing a weeklong, academic and recreational program for rural students ages 6-12. The church also
contributed a library of books for use in the camp and subsequent establishment of a small children’s library. The morning
program included drama, games, crafts, and sports, while in the afternoon students learned English.
Children choose and play games
Rosa Flores, association president, has indicated that older youth are currently of great concern to the community. Most
rural schools have only six grades, after which rural students must make an expensive commute to Ilobasco to attend higher
grades in an accelerated program whose quality is not as strong as the regular public school. Many rural youth who do not
see the subsistence agriculture of their parents as an acceptable lifestyle believe their only opportunity to find work is
immigration to the US. From her knowledge of the experience of a son who is in the US undocumented, Rosa knows that
life for undocumented immigrants in the US is as fraught with problems as is life in rural El Salvador. The Co-partners
board is struggling with how to respond to her request for youth training. A vocational skills camp? Funded
apprenticeships? The answer is not yet clear.
Eviction?
Since the beginning, Co-partners has benefited from space lent by the St. Miguel parish, first in a multi-purpose room in the
parish house and later in an ample salon with a tile floor at another location. Unfortunately, this year, the parish priest
decided to give the space that La Nueva Esperanza had occupied for five years to another, more politically connected
group and to move La Nueva Esperanza to less desirable quarters with a crude floor and a leaky roof. It was disappointing
to see that the poor are still so powerless and that even the clergy cater to economically better off city-dwellers. The
question for Co-partners and La Nueva Esperanza is: Are we ready to build and manage our own building. Might it be a
vocational school? This will be another question for the coming year.
Craft Sales
Craft sales have now become a permanent part of
our fund-raising efforts. Many new items purchased
in Guatemala this summer will be for sale in
Arlington in early December.
Recruiting for the 2008 Volunteer Trips
Volunteers with sewing and design skills are needed for next year’s volunteer trip to Guatemala. Volunteers with skills in
carpentry, electricity, plumbing or auto mechanics are sought for the El Salvador volunteer trip. The trips this year are
planned for late January or early February.
Peace Doves and Angels for Christmas Giving
For a contribution of $50 or more Co-partners will send a small angel or a dove (shown) from El Salvador, as a gift to the
person you indicate. Just send us the name and address of the recipient.
Co-partners of Campesinas, Board of Directors
Archer Heinzen, Chairperson
Rotating, Secretary
Jim Heinzen, Treasurer
Elizabeth Edwards
Jeannette Rodriguez
Marie Keefe
Joanne Murphy
Guatemala Volunteers
Catalina Ventura
Tomasa Guarcas Sis
La Nueva Esperanza, Board of Directors
Rosa Flores, President
Evelia Flores, Vice-President
María Delmy Bran, Secretary.
Maria Eduvina Peña, Treasurer
ADIK, Board of Directors
Ana Suar, President
Josefa Larios, Secretary,
Candelaria Ignatio, Treasurer
Sebastiana Toh, Vocal
