Love in Ecuador

In December, Martina Orska, one of Love is Project's talented photographers based in Ecuador, visited our talented artisans who create the Otavalo bracelet and Harmony and new Tagua heart bracelets. 

She asked them what love means to them. Here are their stories:

Tamia

Love, for me, means family and unity. It is a feeling that encourages sacrifice--real love. It’s something that you can give without expecting anything in return.

Working with Love Is Project has been a nice experience. It reminds me that love is fundamental to every person because it fills you up with joy. Now we have more work because people have seen our bracelets from Love Is Project and it has made other companies call us. This creates abundance in our homes, because we can help our families financially. The new bracelets are beautiful and remind me that love must stand out at all times.

Sisa

Love, for me, is to share with family and others.

Working with Love Is Project has helped me financially. I have learned more about love because while we make the bracelets my friends talk about love and say how wonderful and precious it is to them. When we work on these bracelets we say, “Now we have to do love.” It’s a nice environment to work in. My father is happy that I’m working here.

Cristina

Love, for me, means everything--happiness. With the love of my father, mother, and siblings, we can live happily. If there was more love in the world, wars would not exist. Love is nice, and wonderful.

Working with Love Is Project has helped me to help others financially. I can buy things for my family, like food and clothes. I really like making these bracelets.

Maricela

Love, for me, is a noble feeling--a deep feeling you can have for friends, family and children.

Before working in this workshop with Love Is Project, I didn’t work and was dependent on my ex husband. Now that I work here, there have been a lot of changes. I feel more independent and empowered. I know that now I can move forward and give my kids what they need without depending on a man. I think it is very beneficial for women to work with Love Is Project so they can be independent. We hope that our work is valued in other countries because we do it with love, dedication, and our own hands.

María

Love means lots of things--love for your children, husband, parents, and nature. Love is everything.

We have more work because of Love Is Project. It helps me a lot because I have a child with a disability. If I don’t work, we don’t eat. We hope there is more work in the future.

Guadalupe

Love is something really big--something wonderful that God has put into our lives.

I am happy to work because it provides the income we need to live. We hope we will have more work and make more bracelets. The workshop is like my second home. I spent all day here. This is my family.

Luzmila

Love is a feeling we have for our children and nature. It is a mutual feeling.

I am happy to work with Love Is Project because it has improved our work in this workshop. I really like the quality of work we do--the design of the newest bracelets we’ve made are really nice and simple.

Lourdes

Love is wonderful, especially my love for my daughters.

Since I started working here, I can provide my children with an education and give them food.

Sarita

Love is a feeling--the nicest of all feelings. One person can feel love. Love also means God--he is the one that loves us first and through that, we can love others.

When we first met Chrissie, I thought it was really nice of her to come and see what we do. Our products now have the potential to be in other countries. It makes me very happy that others value our work and like it. I can now help my family economically.