Las Otras Hermanas

The concept for Las Otras Hermanas grew from activism. We met through Women Beyond Borders, a student-organized, women's human rights organization based at Arizona State University that works with community-based women’s organizations to support international women’s issues. Women Beyond Borders was working with Mexico Solidarity Network and the Casa Amiga Crisis Center in Juárez, Mexico to learn about and combat the socio-political and economic issues of this region as well as the extreme violence that affects its women. On a delegation to Juárez in September of 2007, we met ALDEA, an organization based in a particular border community dedicated to community development and support. Our first experience with ALDEA was more than eye-opening; it was mind-altering. If there is one word we could use to describe ALDEA, it would be family. Not only is the organization comprised of families within the community, but members work hard to create a community family as well. Within this community family, work is not just divided equally; responsibility is shared and decisions are made collaboratively. Everyone looks out for one another's well-being, understanding that if one falters, we all falter. This is not only apparent in the ways in which they interact with each other, but also in the ways they interact with their children. One of ALDEA's main projects is the creation of a women's cooperative and building of a proper handicraft center that will allow the women of their community to earn adequate wages while safe from unfair working conditions and avoiding the victimization of the femicides. Directly after meeting ALDEA, Women Beyond Borders began to seek ways to aid them in accomplishing their goal. Since then, our initial partnership has grown into a meaningful friendship. In March of 2008, we, as members of Women Beyond Borders, applied for the Edson Student Entrepreneur Initiative in order to create a fair trade, income generation and social awareness project that would provide the women of the cooperative with the living wage they deserve. With hundreds of applicants and only 18 winners selected, we were surprised upon being chosen and given $20,000 to begin our project. From there, Las Otras Hermanas was born. We, alongside the members of ALDEA, have worked to create a program that not only provides a living wage but also community support that will allow the women and their families to prosper on their own terms. Since then we have made frequent trips to the other, secured equipment for the women and built up the handicraft center's infrastructure, including installing a bathroom. Now we are on our way to getting our 501c3, and are getting ready to start our income generation program.