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- Lilian Santos
Lilian Santos
"In 1981, was born in Huehuetenango, the eldest of six children. My mother was a seamstress and my father worked in construction. As the first-born, I had responsibilities because of our big family and low income. I began working with a sister and brother when I was ten. They were also quite young. <br><br>
"After my homework, I'd help my mother in her passion for fashion. Thanks to her, I found a love for sewing and creating things. As I was the eldest, she taught me the responsibility of working and helping out. I learned to use the sewing machine when I was nine or ten. I helped sew on buttons, sew hems and make buttonholes. <br><br>
"We had a lot of expenses and my parents told me there was no money to pay for my schooling. I just said that was okay but, inside, I told myself 'You have to get ahead in life and you will study.'
"When I finished primary school, I went to an institute to ask for information on higher education. But I didn't tell my parents. Later on when they saw my perseverance, they decided to help me. I eventually finished Basic, Diversified, BA and a Master's. <br><br>
"My daughter was born in 2015. I decided to look for a stable job but I wasn't getting paid there and they owed me several months' salary. So I quit. Those were really complicated times for me because I had to get ahead for my baby. <br><br>
"That's when decided to start crafting handmade articles such as ornaments and scarves using Maya textile techniques, dolls, key chains and coin purses. My first design was a coin purse that I still use. I buy the Maya fabrics from weavers in the Guatemalan highlands and we use 100% cotton. <br><br>
"When we work with Maya textiles, we are promoting our arts and sharing our country's culture, because these weavings are inspired by nature — the sky, the night, our flowers and animals. Each design we create has an identity and the story of each artisan who patiently and lovingly crafts each design. <br><br>
"Any fabric or yarn scraps are reused in new designs so as not to generate any waste. I put all my faith and perseverance into creating my artisanal work, and this is what helped me get ahead. <br><br>
"Several years later, my mother became gravely ill and was getting worse by the day. She became unable to speak or to walk. This was so hard for my brothers and for me. I decided to focus on taking care of her and helping her recover. <br><br>
"Mother needed so much of my attention, I found it necessary to seek someone who could help me with my crafts. In a situation I never expected, I was able to give work to four women, teaching them the most difficult part, which is putting my design on paper. <br><br>
"Since 2015, I've been perseverant and responsible for my workshop to develop, and also to be able to continue creating quality artisan articles for all kinds of tastes. Everything I've crafted has been self-taught — testing, looking for the right tools and materials for an idea, and creating a prototype. <br><br>
"I've had to struggle against a family barrier, as I don't come from a culture of entrepreneurs, I'm a woman and a lack of money has made it difficult for me to find opportunities for marketing my work. But this inspires me to leave a legacy and empower women who need it."
