Mujeres Sembrando la Vida (MSV): Our beginning

MSV establishment process

 MSV began as just a group of women working together and

supporting each other in an effort to carry out their work. The demand for their products was low as was tourism. Many years of struggle, hard work, physical and emotional wear passed.

Since 1990 Magdalena Pérez, MSV founder, searched for support in order for them to grow. She found out about FORO, a foreign national organization who supported projects of indigenous women and men to improve the quality of their lives. They contacted each other and a relationship of support and advice began.

In the beginning it was difficult due to the language barrier. Unable to speak Spanish, the translations from one language to another were distorted.The assemblies and meetings with women were difficult to schedule and organize.

In 1994 when the EZLN uprising occurred, it paralized the establishment of the organization. We suffered delays and there was no tourism. However, after those dates, national and international tourism began to arrive and the demand for handmade clothing increased.

FORO continued to advise and follow up with us in order to transform our organization into a cooperative. They helped set the committee up as well as naming representatives or leaders, scheduling meetings, etc.

This was a great challenge, but most definitely a beautiful experience that would lead us to be recognized as a cooperative by the year 2001.

In 2004 the legal process of establishment started, so by the end of 2007 we began the search for a name.

The members commented: "we plant and take care of fruit trees in the communities for our own benefit. We also build wood-saving stoves so we do not have to breathe smoke. This helps prevent respiratory diseases or eye problems..This helps us take better care of our health. Since there are no men in our organization, we therefore believe that our name should be Women Sowing Life.  We are citizens and we take care of our health by sowing life".

Thanks to the help of all the women who believed in the cooperative, and to FORO who helped us with the legal process, in 2008 our organization became a legal cooperative known as "Mujeres Sembrando la Vida". We have had the name, a charter and a board of directors for 14 years, which is renewed every 3 or 4 years which allows women to assume necessary positions.

We have to be in constant communication, work as a team, understand how we work, what we are doing and continue to take care of ourselves. 

We continue sowing to improve so that our cooperative is strengthened.