Surrulat
Elsa Epieyu
Aideth Jusayu
Cristina Ramírez
Carmen Epieyu
Yasmeli Pushaina
Georgina Ramirez
Magalis Epiayu
Elvira Epiayu
Mercedes Epieyu
Rosita Jusayu
Alba Epieyu
Nancy Epieyu
Mariluz Joanna Pushaina
Surrulat is home to around 40 Wayuu families that primarily engage in horticulture and weaving. All 13 of the artisans we work with in Surrulat are sole earners for their households, supporting their families with the money they earn from One Thread Collective.
Surrulat is one of the most remote communities we work with. Getting there from the city of Riohacha requires three forms of transportation and takes about two hours. Since there are no income earning opportunities in Surrulat outside of weaving, artisans used to have to brave the long trips to the city to sell their mochilas, spending more than 90% of their earnings on transportation
Community members say Surrulat has been "abandoned by the municipality". Currently the community does not have running water because the program that constructed the well and installed the water pump stopped paying for mantainence.
Today, the villagers have to lift water from the community well in buckets by hand and carry it to their homes, making cultivation in the community agricultural plots very difficult. Climate change and prolonged droughts have made the growing season unreliable.
With our help, the artisans of Surrulat will work together to open a store that sells miscellaneous neccessities and weaving supplies. This will help villagers avoid long and expensive trips to the city to buy basic goods.
