International Yoga Day – Supporting Proyecto Pajaro | Adventure Yogi
This International Yoga Day we want to do something that gives back and supports our worldwide community.
Earlier this year, our yoga teacher Amy Williams was traveling through Nicaragua and visiting a friend, Aurelia Heitz. A few years ago, Aurelia set up a not for profit charity that she hoped would help support and empower the women of where she now lives in Popoyo. From that intention, Proyecto Pajaro was created. Here is how you can help!
Joining us for two yoga classes in our studio this weekend is enough to provide one woman with enough money to feed her family for three weeks.
Booking all four yoga classes this weekend ensures that food is on the table and survivors of sexual violence are able to receive support when they need it most.
Proyecto Pajaro now consists of 14 women from the community between the ages of 12 to 45. Along with their children and babies, they meet once a week to create handmade jewelry that they then sell at hotels and craft markets to tourists visiting the area. This time they spend together does more than teach them a new skill. More importantly, it creates a safe space for them to meet up, talk, share, and strengthen the bonds of their community. It ensures they feel safe enough to disclose sexual violence, confidently seeking help, and support when they need it.
Of all the money made from selling their beautiful jewelry, 80% goes directly into the hands of the women. This is an income that they would otherwise never have access to. This income empowers them to feel more independent with a greater sense of self-worth. The remaining 20% goes into buying more materials for products. Most importantly, the remaining money also goes into an emergency fund that is able to support them in times of need and disclosures of sexual violence and abuse.
They need your help…
Popoyo is a small, rural community that relies heavily on visitors and tourists economically. With Covid-19 preventing all tourism, these wonderful women have not been able to sell their products and generate the income they desperately need to support and feed their families. Times are now very hard and the emergency fund has run out. Amy was able to see first hand the amazing work that is done within the project and can’t even imagine the impact that the pandemic will be causing this community.
Please know, the project and these women receive NO help from the government. While many of us have been supported with furlough and self-employment funds over the course of this crisis, this community has seen nothing. Furthermore, they are still a long way off being in a position where they will be able to return to how things were.
This weekend for International Yoga Day, we are going to donate money from our online studio yoga classes to go directly to Projecto Pajaro. Our aim is to raise enough money to cover the wage of the women for this month and be able to put some much-needed dollars back into the emergency fund. The money that you donate will be putting food on their tables and providing them with the essentials they need to get through this tough time.
Booking just two yoga classes in our studio this weekend.
This will provide one woman with enough money to feed her family for three weeks and help buy essentials.
Booking all four yoga classes this weekend.
This ensures that food is on the table and survivors of sexual violence are able to receive support when they need it most. Any money left over will mean they can start to but the materials to create their jewelry again as soon as possible.
You can follow Proyecto Pajaro and meet the women by following them on Instagram and on Facebook.
Book in your yoga classes and help us support this community that is close to our hearts. You never know, you may even get to meet them in beautiful Nicaragua one day.