A Story Told Through the Weaving of a Backpack
When you think of baggage, what
comes to mind?
Is it an actual piece of luggage or is it all the negative situations you’ve experienced?
Marleny’s story has both. This is a story that began with the inheritance of a knowledge that can only be conceived in a family of artisans.
Marleny learned to weave because she watched her grandmother weave.
Many years later, Marleny learned that weaving was her trade and, above all, it was her opportunity to overcome economic poverty, to offer her family a more hopeful future, and to build society.
Marleny is not only an artisan, but she is also a woman whose ancestral knowledge has allowed her to become a leader, and those of us who have the opportunity to share with her ask ourselves: Is Marleny really aware of all the leadership potential she harbors in her being?
Growing in Cauca, Colombia, in a town known for guerrilla warfare, drug trafficking, violence, and extreme poverty, it is uplifting to see how Marleny sees life and what she aspires to do with her talents. Marleny has had to live in the midst of the stigmatization and marginalization suffered by the people of Cauca. Nothing good can be expected from these areas of the country and yet there is Marleny, fighting for her town, calling on the women of her town to unite through art to deliver a different message.
Marleny already had a calling - to knit. She made beautiful bags. Her craft is astounding. And Marleny found Enredarte con Identidad.
Since 2012, CODESPA has been working on the creation and consolidation of the Enredarte Network, a social enterprise made up of indigenous women from northern Cauca who come together to make handicrafts and sell them in the local market. Teaming up to advocate for social justice. Enredarte receives support and advice from CODESPA to market backpacks with special designs inspired by the cosmos, allowing these artisans to share their ancestral wisdom with the world.
Before joining this organization, Marleny used to barter her backpacks to obtain food to take home. Over time, she learned to value her art, calculate costs, and give her products a fair price. She also learned to calculate the time it took to produce one of her backpacks, thus systematizing the process.
It is because of her hard work, her desire to grow, and her motivation to help others like herself that:
❤️ Marleny is a solid example of a woman entrepreneur
❤️ Marleny is now a mother who can provide for her children
❤️Marleny is now a community member who seeks to help other women grow.
But don't take it from us, take it from Marleny:
"I am so grateful to have found an opportunity like Enredarte and for the help that CODESPA has provided. I now feel empowered. I can now provide for my family."
Marleny is aware of the importance of her role within the Association. Her purpose is to continue weaving opportunities for all the women who are part of Enredarte con Identidad and to invite other women from neighboring areas to join this process, so that they can also empower themselves and help their families.
Hand in hand with her youngest daughter, María Cecilia, she attends without fail every meeting scheduled at Enredarte. She shares her life story with members of the Enredarte Network, inspiring them and allowing them to envision a more prosperous future for themselves.
Marleny is an example of a woman, a companion, an entrepreneur, and, above all, an example for her children. Marleny’s children, Floriani, John Hader, and María Cecilia, have grown up in the company of a woman who is willing to give everything to achieve her ideals, value her knowledge, and make people fall in love with her art, and build a more just society.
Have you seen the Enredarte con Identidad handbags? Click here to see them!