After a 30-year internal conflict in Guatemala, more people were dying from hunger and poverty than from the war. When Maria spent time in these communities asking how she could help, the women of the communities said, "Maria, we need a source of income."This is a special conversation between Christine and her mentor, Maria Pacheco. Maria's story is fascinating; she is a biologist, entrepreneur, mother, and firm believer in the idea that collective dreams are unstoppable. She and Christine discuss the journey to Wakami, Maria's business. Wakami is a social system that connects rural artisans to global markets, helping them generate income and transform cycles of poverty into cycles of prosperity.They also discuss the potency of witnessing culture through ancestral art, knowing your why you travel, and how there are many countless ways to contribute to a better world. We especially loved Maria's take on handcrafts; how they are packages of mysticism and hold ancestral knowledge all while empowering women in the global economic sphere.Wakami is comprised of two organizations working hand in hand: an NGO that gives professional training to rural groups of women and a social business that designs and exports handmade products made by these women for the global market. Wakami is also a handmade fashion accessories brand used to market products in 20 countries around the world. Learn more about Wakami here.Learn more about Lotus Sojourns and ways to be a part of the community here.Find Lotus Sojourns on Facebook, or join the Lotus Sojourns Collective, our FB community for like-hearted women.Follow us on Instagram: @lotussojourns or @souloftravelpodcastCredits. Christine Winebrenner Irick (Host, creator, editor.) Maria Pacheco (Guest). Original music by Clark Adams. Cover art by Christine Winebrenner Irick. Editing and production by Alex Lee-Ammons and For The Love Media, LLC.Support the show