Gloria Orozco de Reye, Daisy Alvarado Godoy, Dora Ali Borges, and Pam Kleckner with completed handcrafted purses

A hand-up trumps a handout every time, is heard so often that the phrase has become cliché.  Yet socially responsible, sustainable economic projects are still in their infancy in the developing world.  Fair Trade invests in people—cooperatives investing in each other and the product they hope will become that hand up out of poverty.  Fair Trade is friendship in action.  Integral Development Women’s Cooperative (C.O.M.D.E.I.) is one such project; a women’s sewing cooperative based in Honduras, Central America.

“We are poor but proud,” said Daisy Alvarado of the women of Honduras, and members of her sewing cooperative in particular.  “We have always taken care of ourselves—provided for our families.” 

Dora with a handbag

This accomplishment brings dignity to their lives. It is the measure of a life well lived according to Honduran the sewing instructor.  But when Category 5 Hurricane Mitch devastated the country in 1998, many poor Hondurans lost not only their homes and material possessions, but also their sources of income.  Whole communities were destroyed—cottage industries and small businesses buried beneath 20 feet of mud-sludge. 

Daisy Alvarado is a founding member of C.O.M.D.E.I..  She was hired by Iglesia Centroamericana Haced Discipulos to teach sewing when the Presbyterian Women of Northumberland donated a dozen sewing machines, notions and fabric to help fulfill the dream of the pastor’s wife Gloria Orozco de Reyes.  

The Guatemalan dynamo has a passion for women. Gloria’s outreach is to her neighborhood in Comayaguela, the extension of Tegucigalpa hardest hit by the hurricane in 1998 when the Choleteca River crested at 60 feet.  Gloria and her husband Vincente were instrumental in convincing the church to provide refuge for 23 storm-dislocated families.  She says her heart was broken “by the needs of these poor women.”

“We have so much,” Gloria said of her meager existence as pastor’s wife to a poor, inner-city congregation.  “But we have been blessed to bless others.”

Gloria pointed out that many of the neighborhood women lack the education and

Gloria working on a purse

skills to secure employment and are often prey to violent members of the M-13 gang stalking the barrios. A Mayan descendent, and skilled craftswoman herself, Gloria wanted to teach machine embroidery as well as simple clothing construction to members of her congregation and the community beyond. “I wanted to help women recover their self-esteem and take pride in themselves through their work.”

The Presbytery of Northumberland in north central Pennsylvania offered a hand up first by sending work teams to help with rebuilding after the storm and then by meeting perceived needs. Presbyterian Women helped several fledgling sewing cooperatives in Tegucigalpa, Comayaguela and Talanga (see “Stitching A Dream” in Horizons) with sewing machines, notions, fabric, and a small grant to off-set providing a permanent space for the projects.  The Pennsylvania women also provided scholarships for many children attending the Christian school sponsored by Gloria’s church.  The sewing college was one more hand-up opportunity, according to de Reyes.  “The first outreach is to children. We teach them about God and his love for them.  The women come because they see the love we shower on their children.”

While pursuing a dream of her own, Arizona resident Pamela Kleckner stumbled on the Horizons article featuring the cooperatives in Honduras.  Kleckner was looking for a socially-responsible alternative to sweat-shop labor to construct prototypes of her “fun, funky purses.”  Bye-bye Tyes, or “Adios Corbatas!” as the Honduran women

"Bye-bye Tyes"

have dubbed them, recycle neckties and costume jewelry, feathers,

lace and vintage fabrics to create one-of-kind purses for the young

at heart. 

Kleckner packed her suitcases with used ties, fabrics and notions

“Adios Corbatas!”

and set off for Honduras where she spent three months working with the women of two cooperatives sponsored by the Northumberland Presbytery Women’s group. Kleckner and the Honduran women created one hundred sample bags to be placed in gift stores and boutiques in Arizona, New York and Pennsylvania. The Presbyterian women provided prayer and encouragement as well as additional funds.

“It’s a different product,” said Kleckner. “Most cooperatives produce indigenous crafts—these are just fun and trendy.”

Working hard but having fun!

And the women of C.O.M.D.E.I. are having fun!  Three or four days a week pop Latin music and laughter overspills the small classroom they utilize at the church and beckons neighborhood youth to hang out on the playground and play soccer. 

“It’s about community,” said de Reyes. “Church is family.”

Gloria is leaning on family these days as she grieves the loss of her husband, the beloved pastor of Iglesia Centroamericana Haced Discipulos.  Pastor Vincente Reyes succumbed to stroke in December of 2005.  It was his vision that inspired the first work team from Northumberland Presbytery to invest in scholarships for school

Pam teaching

children.  And it was the Reyes family passion that moved the Presbytery to invest in the sewing cooperatives and other projects. 

"I learned a lot about friendship,” said Daisy about her experience with Gloria and the cooperative.  “Pam offered friendship along with a project—that was a very brave thing.  She came here knowing no one. 

“And the Pennsylvanian women pray for us—believe in us.  That is a very big thing.”  A smile lit her eyes. “So we believe in each other! We can be successful because we have friendship—that is our greatest reward.”

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