STRATEGIES

CuCuman strives to organize development initiatives of the community and effectively address the low female literacy rates; lack of awareness about education of girl child; the low health status of women and girls.

OUR PHILOSOPHY

 Philosophy of CuCuman International Gender Org

CuCuman firmly believes in development initiatives planned and led by the people. CuCuman therefore, sees its role as a motivator posing alternatives before people, in which they can use their own energy for their own development.

CuCuman firmly believes that improving the women’s health and status are integral to social and economic development. Although CuCuman focuses its activities on women and the girl child, it also believes that attitudinal change must take place. This can only happen if an unfragmented holistic approach is adopted. CuCuman therefore dialogues and interacts with the whole community towards bringing about fundamental attitudinal change.

FOCUS AREAS

Focus Areas

• Empowerment of women and girls through education.
• Women’s health, especially their reproductive health.
• Child development through focusing over child rights.
• Establishing thrift and credit societies and imparting managerial skills to women for income generation.
• Employment, income generation and skill development schemes for the rural people
• Development initiatives planned and led by the people themselves

MISSION

CuCuman International Gender Org aims at sustainable development of the community through:

• Understanding marginalization and subordination
• Empowerment, especially of women
• Promoting people’s collectives and organization to raise the quality of their life.
• Implementing multidimensional action programs, through people’s participation.

Who We Are

Our History

CuCuman International Gender Org is a collective of women from Caribbean , located in a rural area of Colombia, Turbaco,  at a place called Cucuman, ancient land of the Caribbean Indians. The Corporation was created since 2009 by a group of women sailors in sailboats traveling the world and visiting communities , helping to enrich local  projects. 

CuCuman is a network of trade creating an alternative small -business model for local communities. In a Village of 11 families, 10 women have participated over the years in producing hammocks, knitting mochilas, and swings , coconut handicrafts, molas,and another textile work, made in Colombia, South America..

The mochila

Mochilas – a type of shoulder bag - are the utmost expression of Wayúu crocheting and are easily recognizable by their colors and designs. They are made by knitting cotton thread (a technique introduced by Catholic missionaries at the beginning of the twentieth century) with a crochet needle or a crochet hook.

The Wayuu Indias:

To the Wayúu Indian communities that inhabit the Peninsula of La Guajira, knitting is much more than a cultural activity and a legacy from their ancestors. It is a way to express feelings about their life concept by means of creativity, intelligence, and wisdom.

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Wayúu weavings