Girls Gone Crafty – Workshop Sponsored By Human Development

Two very different forces have teamed up for Women’s Month to produce a project called “Girls Gone Crafty.” The workshop is being conducted by artist Raquel Rodriguez for women in the Belmopan who want to use their creativity for income generation. The sessions are sponsored by the Ministry of Human Development. Rodriguez and a couple of the participants shared their thoughts with News Five on how the workshop is going and what they are learning so far.

Raquel Rodriguez

Raquel Rodriguez, Founder, Raquel Art

“We have fifty participants who came along the journey with me in the process of becoming artisans and market vendors. During this process of four days, out here in the workshop they were learning how to do handicrafts working with different artisans and doing things like jewelry-making and painting mini paintings on textile, on wood. We also did key chains. We’re also bringing out the girls who do sewing and different things to learn about the different ways that we could sell to the tourists. So we can do, for example, wine bags or handbags, or different little market bags and mini totes that we can paint on along with aprons and we can paint on to showcase what we’re doing in Belize. So this is a hand-made product that I’m trying to teach the girls so they can carry forward in the future and become entrepreneurs of their own.”

Courtney Gentle

Courtney Gentle, Art student

“We learned to make earrings, so I have a hoop. I did a sunset, and one for Women’s Month – Afro girl supporting her love for her ‘fro and we also did coasters. I did this beautiful sunset with a rainbow river.”

Karla Vernon

Karla Vernon, Art student

“I learned how to paint on materials. This is a beautiful apron and also today we learned how to make key chains, which is really great. I already have an art shop, I would say. I make my own bracelets; I make my own jewelry so my experience here is just to be even bigger.”