FEATURED STORY: Jesus Ajanel 

His work with INDIKOHANDCRAFTS

He helps with the coordination of all the groups of artisans in the country whom Indikohandcrafts works with. Jesus is one of the very few artisans who speak Spanish - the rest speak one or more of the 23 Mayan languages spoken in the country- in addition to Spanish, Jesus also speaks K'iche' which makes his participation key in the coordination of the groups.

Products that he makes:   Patchwork quilts, pillow covers, yoga rugs, wool area rugs, cotton area rugs, custom made products.

Location :  Momostenango is a municipality in the Totonicapán department of Guatemala. Totonicapán is in the mountainous occidental region of Guatemala.

Its Mayan inhabitants speak the K'iche' language.

Cuatros Caminos ("four roads") is a well-known intersection of roads that go to Quetzaltenango, Guatemala City, Huehuetenango and Totonicapán. This last one is enveloped by green hopefulness and a climate that invites warm dress. It has a series of small attractions such as its thermal springs, the Chumundo cavern, the Nueve Sillas and Los Chozales. It is recognized for other places such as the Riscos de Momostenango, where famous thick blankets originate.

Totonicapán was one of the most important sites in the Kingdom of the Maya K'iche', before the arrival of the Spanish, and the traditions and customs of this ethnic group persist there today.

His story:

Jesus Ajanel was born in Momostenango, in 1976, in a family of farmers and artisans. He had 7 siblings, but 5 of them died from common illnesses that could have been prevented or treated, but due to the lack of resources and extreme poverty, such common illnesses were often fatal for people like Jesus and his family.y

His father, an artisan who handcrafted rugs for a living, taught him how to make ponchos using the loom, and how to dye them with natural dyes using the INDIKO PROCESS. Jesus learned very fast, and soon started making a living of the family business of making ponchos and selling them at the local market. However, as it is common in young indigenous men. Jesus started drinking soon, to the point where he had no control over his drinking and lost everything, his business and the money he had saved so far.  He met Ofelia Sahon, who helped him quit drinking, they got married and he started to make again ponchos and quilts for a living. However, the money he could get for his art, at the local market, was barely enough to support his growing family.  Jesus started working with INDIKOHANDCRAFTS in 2003, he was in charge of the quilts and pillow covers. His leadership skills, his willingness to learn more about quality, how to work with other type of fabrics, and how to make custom made products, was outstanding, and he soon, became a very important part of the coordination of the groups of artisans. 

The work with INDIKOHANDCRAFTS has improved Jesus and his family's quality of life. Through this relationship with Indikohandcrafts, he saved enough money to start his own small store in the main street of Panajachel where he sells his ponchos. He also, supervises the groups of artisans in all the regions of the country who work with Indikohandcrafts.  He bought a computer, and has improved his Spanish skills. He learned how to use the internet, and his email account.

His invaluable people skills and his relentless drive to improve his life and the lives of those around him have become one of the key factors for Indikohandcrafts’ quick growth and success.

Two of his four children are attending school -an opportunity Jesus didn’t have while growing up - the other 2 are two young for school, but they will go to school as soon as they are old enough. His wife Ofelia helps him with the store or stays at home with the children.  He has participated in several fair trade fairs with Indikohandcrafts, he is very eager to learn more about the business and to participate in more areas of the business, and he knows he is always welcome to do so. He recently applied for his visa, to be able to come to the United States for one week, to participate in the GLOBAL MARKET event with Indikohandcrafts. We were truly looking forward to have Jesus as part of such event, not only for the great opportunity that it meant to Jesus, to get to know the market where his products are being sold, but also as a wonderful chance for our clients to meet at least one of the many artisans we work with, but unfortunately, even when he had letters of invitation and support from Indikohandcrafts, his visa was denied.

Jesus, tells us he feels very happy of the quality of life he and his family have achieved through the work with INDIKOHANDCRAFTS, and how proud he feels of helping other families in his community. He also tells us, he never imagined that his products would sell in the international market, and that one day, people would pay fair prices for the art that he makes, which not only is a way of earning money, but also it represents who he is, and where he comes from. He says that working with INDIKOHANDCRAFTS is like a dream come true for him. He not only has experienced wonderful changes in his own life, and has been able to give a much better quality of life for his family, but has also witnessed the amazing change in the lives of the other artisans, and their families.