An Unexpected Blessing

For 15 years, Lazarus Artisan Goods has been dedicated to training young people with uncertain futures in one of the poorest areas of Honduras. This work has not come without its challenges, but today our leather workshop is more alive than ever thanks to a recent grant received from one of our wholesale partners here in the US.

The grant was given to grow our artisans’ skill sets and to complement their leather work. We believe that this time and attention to their individual education is one of the key ways we can empower the communities we serve to grow professionally and personally, showing them the love of Christ by pouring into their lives.

One of the issues we have struggled with for years is lost production time when our sewing equipment needed repairs. If a machine was broken, the artisans would have to wait on an external technician to repair the equipment before resuming production. However, thanks to several recent training sessions in equipment repair, that has changed.

When asked about the training, our three most experienced leather artisans laughed, saying that before they didn’t even know the machine parts. Despite working with the machines for a long time, Yofran, Jose Luis and Elisson had no clue where to begin looking when something wasn’t working right. But during the sessions, they learned about each part’s function and they now know how to easily make equipment repairs. Now they can fix the machines themselves rather than calling a technician, saving valuable time in the workshop.

Our artisans also received a fun and informative training session in photography. They learned about lighting, angles, exposure, and how to take an excellent photo using their phones. Now each member of our team is taking part in capturing the happenings of our leather studio on camera. Recent graduates of the leather vocational program, Nidia, David, and Kilmer, were particularly thrilled to understand how to take better photos because this skill is one they will use throughout their lives, both professionally and personally.

As part of the grant, our workshop was also able to purchase a new phone for taking these photos, a laser machine for engraving leather, and a wood engraving machine for carpentry projects. We want to thank Thistle Farms for their extreme generosity in investing in our community in such a tangible way.

Our instructor and production quality supervisor, Ernesto, shared his excitement about the developments in the workshop. After more than 12 years in this job, he knows that providing tools like this for our employees is pivotal for the continued growth of Lazarus Artisan Goods. 

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