We worked with a group of Mapuche women artisans who were motivated to create from the traditional skill of weaving that they inherited from their ancestors a stable source of income for themselves and their families. We met with the group to help them identify their need: despite having the knowledge, the skills and the tools required to create a variety of products, they lacked the basic business training needed to market their products, and the financial skills to manage their accounting.

We then helped the group initiate a training process by facilitating a partnership between themselves - the weavers - and an organization specialized in providing entrepreneurship training and marketing coaching to women artisans. We supported two women, who emerged as the leaders of the group, to build their confidence and capacities as local project managers. Since this project began, 75 women have been trained and mentored as entrepreneurs.