I have dedicated my life to work that involves healing, dreaming and creating. It began over 25 years ago in the war-torn villages of Guatemala working with women and families to help them heal the wounds of the war and rebuild their worlds. Rebuilding their world began by helping them to dream again, to believe that their world could be whole and safe and in their control. That led to the creation of a methodology for incubating rural businesses and connecting those communities to the marketplaces of the world. This work has created connections around the world and a story of transformation, both for the communities that have been healed and the people who have helped them on their journey and discovered an inner richness and prosperity that was often lacking in their own lives.
Dream Workshops for Meaningful Service
A seminar about personal growth and development. This program leads you through the impact of dreams by first focusing on the power of dreams on people in displaced communities who did not know they could still dream and then showing how the process of opening up to dreams is equally powerful in all of our lives, no matter our age or position. The program is intended for businesses looking to encourage creativity, engagement and a sense of positive potential in their employees. This workshop can be combined with a Wakami Traveler trip and corporate sponsorships for an exceptionally dramatic impact on your business culture. (1 hour presentation with a follow-up workshop if requested)
Creating your Path to a Global Presence
We all look for connections in our life and especially paths that lead to service that make our interior lives richer and fuller. This program is about finding a path to meaningful service that involves a real connection to the lives of the people we serve. We explore the power of service, the nature of creating real change in communities and how to participate in a collective dream that transcends borders and location. (1 hour presentation)
Methodology for Making Sustainable Change
A program about how to make lasting change that can transform cycles of poverty into cycles of prosperity with a proven methodology. Many social programs are about charity and donations that often do more harm than good. Our methodology is about using the power of the marketplace to allow individuals to change their own lives. This methodology focuses on developing access to income through business incubation, access to markets and smart investments. If your business is committed to investing in your community, whether your community is local or international, this program will help you understand the criteria that should be an essential part of your investment. (Either a 1 hour presentation or a custom made full day seminar for your organization).
The Impact of Investing in Women
As a member of many women’s organizations around the world, this program focuses on the power of women in their communities, businesses and the world. We focus first on why your service investments should always consider the connection of your sponsored project to women in the communities to be served. From there we build from there on the impact of female networks, the power of linking
Wakami Traveler Trips
We create trips to Guatemalan communities for groups from 6 to 20 people who want to experience firsthand the richness of service and personal connection. These trips include travel to Mayan communities to experience the power of dreams, healing and creation with people who were once forgotten but who have now forged a powerful connection with others around the world. These trips are custom designed and also include the ability to experience the beauty of Guatemala including some of our most beautiful hotels, cities, lakes, volcanoes and forests.
Wakami and More
Wakami is a system that empowers underprivileged communities and connects them to markets around the world. When working in rural communities of Guatemala suffering from the effects of war including massive unemployment and malnutrition, Maria asked the women in those communities what she could do to help. They responded: “If you can sell what we can make, we can do the rest.” From there was born the methodology of business incubation and market connections that then gave birth to Wakami. Wakami is a system that empowers underprivileged communities and connects them to markets around the world. It connects over 500 rural Guatemalan business owners to international fashion markets. Our fashion accessories are handcrafted by women in rural villages of Guatemala. Wakami generates income opportunities and access to products and service for our local entrepreneurs and their families that improve their quality of life.
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