Sponsor: Craft-making and marketing by people with physical disabilities in La Morita, Tijuana
- At April 04, 2012
- By getchart
- In Sponsor A Project
- 0
Jacinto Morales, a young man, paralyzed from the waist down but very talented with his hands, makes bags, blankets, designed T-shirts, and rosaries and sells them to help his family. Jacinto is willing to share his skills and to teach other local “disable” persons to make and sell crafts. Some of these persons are already very gifted at making beautiful embroideries.
The crafts made by Jacinto and his group are currently sold informally to visitors to the San Eugenio Parish or to other local people. Visitors of San Eugenio can also buy coffee and beans from Cristina a physically-disabled woman that sells them from the window of her room. The small profits she makes go to buy diapers or milk for her two small children.
The hope of Jacinto and his friends, as well as of the local Oblates that support them is to have a stall or a booth to sell their items in some open air markets (sobre ruedas) or in flea markets (also called tianguis).
The timing is good. A young American volunteer, Julia Campagna, will be in La Morita May to July to help launching the group. Julia is familiar with the local people. Some years ago, as a student at the University of San Diego, she worked in La Morita as part of the University’s Campus Ministry Program. This fall, Julia returns to the University of San Diego for her graduate degree in Pastoral Theology, but previously she will spend the summer at La Morita.
To launch this craft training project, the Oblate Mission in Tijuana needs only about $1,000 to purchase the initial materials and pay for the transportation of these people with mobility limitations from their homes to the place where the crafts will be made and sold.
Once launched, the project will self-sustain. Some of the income obtained will be used to buy more materials, to pay for the right to have stalls or booths in the fairs, and for transportation. The artisans will have some money left to be able to help their families on whom they depend.
This program will have an additional benefit. The people who would participate in this program are significantly limited by physical disabilities; their ability to even leave their homes is very restricted. They tend to be isolated from contact with other people who are not part of their immediate families. This program will give them an opportunity to learn skills they can use, as well as a chance to meet and interact socially with others who are also severely limited. They will feel more productive as persons.
If you would like to help launching this craft program please, contact:
Arthur A. Pingolt, Jr., at
Telephone: +1 612- 810-9147
Email: apingolt@oblatepartnership.org