LLI <3 2016!

Huaywasi is a fair trade project part of a grassroots non-profit, the Light and Leadership Initiative (LLI).  In 2016, LLI has been up to some great work: expanding and introducing new programs, building up both our local and international volunteer and internship team, and offering over 2,900 classes & workshops this year to women, kids and teens this year alone.

Here's some of our highlights:

• LLI offered 85 Women's Workshops this year, including workshops on yoga, financial education, nutrition, psychology and more. Thanks to Huaywasi customers, we have funds to continue this work in 2017! Every purchase goes to support our women's empowerment program!

• For the first year ever, we were able to incorporate coding classes for teens and kids into our regular programming. Coding classes joined our science classes held for kids and making our Science & Technology program official!

• We've focused even more on parent communication, working to meet with parents 6 times throughout the year for feedback (plus weekly open hours to meet). Plus we also introduced a community forum, inviting feedback and ideas from those members of the community possibly not involved with LLI.

• Our local and international volunteer team have really stepped up their game: our local volunteers put in over 500 hours in our programs, while we welcomed over 40 full time international volunteers and interns. One of them, Patrícia, is our women's program manager and has done great things for Huaywasi!

If you're thinking that this all sounds like amazing work you can get behind, we encourage you to become a part of LLI's day-to-day success in 2017: donate to our programs or volunteer with us! 

And of course, keep shopping on Huaywasi.com all year long :)