“Last year, I became the first Salvadoran company to showcase my designs at the Emmy and Oscars Gifting Suites. I’m a designer who develops and sells handmade, eco-friendly products, made by Salvadoran artisans under fair trade standards. All of my designs are based on five principles. Product should be eco-friendly, handmade, fair trade, innovative and promote women’s empowerment. My special interest is the preservation of traditional Salvadoran artisan techniques. Through my Lula Mena store, I export my designs to more than 20 companies in the U.S., Canada and the Middle East. I focus on empowering women artisans living in high risk crime areas by providing women with a steady job to sustain their families and help in the development of their communities. After three years of working with me, our women artisans have become the main providers in their home, earning three times more than their husbands. Also, their children are the first generation to attend high school. Before, they used to work with their fathers in agriculture from the age of 12. Our products are crafted with traditional techniques with an emphasis on quality, using natural or recycled materials. My "Seeds of Joy" jewelry line uses locally grown natural seeds and cotton, dyed with natural indigo to create handwoven textiles. With the support of the U.S. Agency for International Development, I’ve been able to more than double my sales since 2011 by participating in specialized fairs such as New World Craft in Guatemala, Dwell on Design in L.A. and Artisan Resource in NYC. The growth of my company is allowing me to work with more artisans – most of them women – and to help them improve their lives and those of their families.”- Lula Mena.

This story is the fourth in a weekly series that we are running in collaboration with UN Women and its Empower Women Champions for Women’s Economic Empowerment. Read the previous story here. To contribute to the Campaign, see here.