Presentation - Milano School

Ajkem’a Loy’a Project
Aparna Rau
Eileen Reyes
Nicholas Smith
David Dorfman
Jessenia Pillasagua
N’Deye Rosalie Niang
Background
The New School and CARE
have undertaken this project for
the past two semesters
GPIA & Parsons students trained
for 14 weeks acquiring necessary
skills to help Mayan women create
a sustainable export business
GPIA & Parsons students will be
traveling to Guatemala this
summer to implement this project
Background
LOOM
Lives of Our Own Making
Collaborating with artisans around
the world
Creating a sustainable economic
future
Ajkem’a Loy’a
Bring about community mobilization
Connect local and global citizens to
the Mayan women
Create Mayan handicrafts and
educational workshops
Project Work
GPIA & Parsons students
collaborate with a group of
Mayan Artisans to build a
sustainable business
Students divided into three
specialty teams:
Marketing &
Communications
Design & Making
Business & Management
Project Work
Marketing & Communications
Develop marketing strategy
Mission Statement
Branding / Logo Development
Workshop Development
Design & Making
Design Creation
Market Research
Prototype Development
Workshop Development
Business & Management
Develop Business Strategy
Business Development
Market Price Research
Workshop Development
Objectives
To increase individual capacity
of each artisan through the
formation of a cooperative
enterprise
To implement a plan that over
a three year time span will
position the women of Ajkem’a
Loy’a as a self-sustaining and
efficient collective
To effectively produce and
market their handicrafts in
order to maximize their profits
Goals, Results & Deliverables
Increase women’s gross
income
Increase cooperative’s capital
accumulation
Reduction in cooperative’s raw
material costs
Creation of new and unique
products
Increase women’s time
available for production
Goals, Results & Deliverables
Workshops
Marketing & Communications
English Language
Computer Skills
Basic Marketing
Communications
Workshop Facilitation
Design & Making
Prototype Creation
Pattern Making
Sizing
Sewing
Quality Control
Business & Management
Pricing / Accounting
Internet Marketing
Store Decor
Savings/ Financial Planning
Value of Labor
Branding
Selling Techniques
Inventory Control
Quality Control
Business Organization
Final Words
Weaving is the act and art of
interlacing and interaction
Loose strands are made one
through this ancient practice
In other words, weaving is the
embodiment of cooperation
Acknowledgements
The GPIA students involved in
the Ajkem’a Loy’a Project:
Aparna Rau
Eileen Reyes
Nicholas Smith
David Dorfman
Jessenia Pillasagua
N’deye R. Niang
Would like to thank the
following for all their help…
All photos provided by Fabiola Berdiel
All photos were taken in Guatemala and feature
the Mayan Artisan Association Ajkem’a Loy’a
Thanks!
Michelle Alleyne
Fabiola Berdiel
Erin Cho
Jay Dehejia
Alice Demirjian
Mark Johnson
Pascale Gatzen
Cynthia Lawson
Shon Morris
Nadia Williams
And
Our colleagues/fellow
students at Parsons School
of Design