See examples of handmade notecards made by Hands Together
 

Hands Together -- Manos Unidas

Hands Together / Manos Unidas is Western North Carolina’s only international women’s crafts cooperative. The Morganton-based group is made up of women crafters from Mexico, Guatemala, Panama, Peru, Bolivia, and China.

In January of 2001, Molly Hemstreet and Wendy Hammerstone, two English as a Second Language teachers, organized a group of immigrant women interested in creating economic opportunities for themselves. Most of the women are former factory workers who are struggling to find new jobs, or recently arrived immigrants from Mexico and Guatemala who have not yet found work.

With support from CPC, Molly and Wendy first called these women together to explore ways of making some extra money. After some early planning and brainstorming sessions, the group began meeting regularly. Group members are now meeting weekly in a local church basement, which is within walking distance for several of the women.

In addition to the group’s focus on earning some money, group meetings have become an informal forum for discussions about the common challenges of immigrant women in the United States. Women share their stories, recipes, health care information, school information, and talk about the other challenges of being a stranger in a strange land. The meetings are also fun; there is a lot of laughing, jokes, and fast-flying conversation (mostly in Spanish).

After investigating different models of community-based economic development, the women in Hands Together decided that they wanted a group project that would reflect their individual creativity and native cultures. They applied to CPC's Self Development Fund, and were awarded a grant of $1000 to provide supplies for their first craft projects.

 

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