This year, we used a fair trade cooperative in Nicaragua to produce and screen the shirts. Their story is one of perseverance, grit and total faith in God.

Back in 1998, Hurricane Mitch destroyed the village where all of the women in the coop lived. They were moved to another community, Nueva Vida (meaning “new life”) and began to rebuild their lives. These women, mostly single and heads of their households, worked 2 years without pay to establish a sewing coop as owner/members. In off hours, they worked other jobs to earn money, often making cement blocks or digging holes.

In 2005, they became certified around the globe as the first “Owner-Worker Free Zone”. They enlisted the help of another agency for training in English, marketing, exports and administration to operate as their own entity. They don’t own their building, which doesn’t allow for them to obtain credit they need to buy new equipment.

In their own words, “But, we never give up the fight because experience we know that in life there’s nothing impossible, we have faith in God that we will go on and everything will change out. In this way we are sure we will learn more about how hard is to having our own work.”

Each t-shirt, onesie and tote bag was made by a woman whose hope lies in her dignity of being a woman. She doesn’t complain, only expresses gratitude for the opportunity to work. Their dignity as women brings to life our theme this year. Wear a t-shirt with pride, share your dignity with a sister in Jesus, knowing you improved her life.

Thank you!