Pisco Elqui, a tourist area, is situated at some 96 kms from the City of La Serena towards the cordillera - IV Region of Chile, with a population of 900 inhabitants approximately.
The difficult economic situation of the families where the mothers, heads of household, have to obtain the daily sustenance for their children, makes us think about an unjust world, where the wealth and the goods that the Good Lord has given us, are unevenly distributed.
The main livelihood is the work in the vineyards, especially in the season of the production of grapes; there many women work who are searching for ways to obtain food each day. After this period, they do not have anything certain, and thus feel incapacitated without having a secure future.
Another important means of subsistence is the craft. It is possible to say that Pisco Elqui is a town of craftsmen, a trade that requires skills and constant learning to use it as generating their means of income during the year. It is worth mentioning that this place has many esoteric currents, hence, there are many active persons in this trade.
In the midst of this reality, we Carmelite Missionaries promoted a FOSCARMIS project since 2009 to respond to the important need of promoting human and spiritual development of women. Sr. Carol Medina Bernal accompanies a program for craft workshops to those who are interested and to learn new technical innovations, with one’s own identity and seal.
Beginning 2010 a handcrafted Kiosk was opened on the premises of the Chapel; it was called “Kchivaches of the Valley, “giving it its own identity to the selling place, which generated good income to those who kept it active. The following stage are workshops on “porcelana en frío” and jewellery; the group is becoming strong and consolidating with interest and motivation. We have ways to go in the promotion of women by means of activities that, along with the workshops, contribute to the human – spiritual formation, conquering the limitations arising from macho models and from the lack of opportunities to play productive roles in the society that benefit their families.
This workshop promotes not only the economic dimension, but also human and spiritual, helping women to grow and strengthen their self esteem, assuming the possibilities of going forward by themselves, valuing their contribution, growing in confidence and autonomy. In the initial stage of the project the sala of the Chapel was furnished with furniture and tools to begin, at the same time a course on " Filigrana” began.
