Honduras Threads creates jobs for Honduran women so they can earn enough money to purchase food, school supplies and medications for their children and families and so realize the dignity and self-respect that comes with being able to be successful providers for their families.
Over the past 20 years, Honduras Threads has returned $700,000 to the Honduran women who participate. The women make hand-embroidered pillows, table runners, placemats and other textiles. Honduras Threads sells the items they make and provides raw materials and technical assistance.
All proceeds from sales go to the women. In turn, the women donate back 30% of sales to Honduras Threads to help pay for raw materials, sales and marketing and technical assistance. At first, the Honduras Threads approach was to work with groups in five locations outside the capital city of Tegucigalpa. Because Honduras Threads wanted the women to own their own business outright, in 2017, it helped the women form their own member-owned social enterprise incorporated under Honduran law. The enterprise name is Arte y Creatividad or AyC for short. Now the five groups work together as one.
In addition to paying themselves for the labor they put into each item, profits are distributed to all members in the form of dividends.

Each year, Arte y Creatividad owners may apply for grants to cover up to half of the costs of their children's or their own education.

The costs include uniforms, school supplies, and, for older children who commute to the city, transportation.

This year, Honduras Threads will distribute $7,000.