Mayan Worry Dolls

According to legend, the Mayan people believed that if they told their troubles to a Worry Doll and placed it under their pillow at night, all their worries would be gone in the morning!

Guatemalan artisans bind pieces of wood together or twist together short lengths of wire to create a frame and fashion a torso, legs, arms, and head. They then give the doll shape by winding cloth and yarn around the frame. They use scraps of traditional woven fabric to make the doll costumes and wind more yarn to create the head, hair, feet, and hands.

V.G.C. works closely with artisans in Guatemala to help them design, produce, market, and sell their handmade goods. We create microloan programs with weavers, which provide long-lasting and sustainable assistance to individuals in the communities where their artisans live and work. Through these programs, individuals can earn fair wages and grow their lives and the lives of their children.