CASEM

What is a cooperative?
Although there are many definitions to a cooperative (co-op), when the word 'co-op' is used, it refers to a collection of people, who share ownership, and who desire a democracy.

CASEM, is a non-profit cooperative that stands for the 'Cooperativa de Artesanas de Santa Elena y Monteverde'. This is Spanish for the 'Artisan's Cooperative of Santa Elena and Monteverde'. CASEM, in particular, is a women’s co-op, founded by Patricia Jimenez, with other eight women, in 1982. The women received funding from the Inner-American Foundation. Within the grounds of the co-op is a building with a store, gallery, community center (for training workshops), a communal restaurant, and a communal school. The co-op was able to sustain with local female artisans sewing and creating craft works such as “decorative wall hangings, ceramics, clothes, bags, jewelry, toys, and wood carvings”. The women struggled to overcome the widespread machismo culture during the first five years of operation by persuading the men to change their perspective on a woman working to make a profit. Although the women started the cooperative with no former knowledge in the logistics, the co-op, today, is comprised of 80 women and three men. This co-op exists to create job opportunities, to women who wish to support their families, through the process of bridging and bonding social relationships between the local artisans and the local and tourist buyers.

CASEM is able to maintain product quality control by visiting each artisan at his or her home to exchange techniques with one another and to make sure the individual is doing well. This cooperative, and similar ones in Costa Rica is crucial in order to hold sustainable development projects. CASEM engages the community and helps build participant’s skill sets, knowledge, and self-esteem to allow for these local entrepreneurs and craftspeople to gain a chance to compete in the market! The co-op also opens up an opportunity for gender equality in Costa Rica and offers jobs to locals as well as well as offering an opportunity for CASEM to work at each person’s own time. The Monteverde Institute and the Quaker community also helped these women to build their self-esteem and become empowered and self-sufficient.

Today, the government recognizes CASEM. 35 percent of the profit goes back into organization and 65 percent of the profit is given to the artists.

The owner in particular, Patricia, uses environmental friendly materials.

Check out this person's Youtube interview with one of the founders, Patricia!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AgT331R0NrU