Deliverables

Revised Quality-of-Life Matrix and Diagnostic Questionnaire

The revised quality-of-life matrix includes the additional dimensions of migration, education, sustainability, and health and wellness. The indicators for each dimension were revised to adhere to national and international guidelines on quality-of-life measurement, and the diagnostic questionnaire was edited to ensure that each question correlates to a specific matrix indicator.

White Paper: Guidelines for future intervention

Guidelines for future intervention. Using questionnaire and focus group results, this paper discusses the areas of concern identified by community members as they relate to matrix dimensions, such as financial wellbeing, social cohesion, and cultural preservation. Drawing upon recommendations from the artisans themselves, our guidelines outline feasible interventions for each community that address low-scoring areas of the quality-of-life matrix.

Mission

To empower artisans by advancing constant and fair economic growth across Mexico.

Challenge

Validating and verifying Someone Somewhere’s measurement tool that diagnoses and scores the quality of life of its artisan communities.

Research Activities

To better understand and improve the applicability of its current diagnostic tools, we conducted a literature review on quality-of-life measurement, adjusted and re-administered quality-of-life surveys, and led 18 focus group discussions in Oaxaca City, Oaxaca, and Naupan, Puebla.

Key Findings

1. Someone Somewhere’s artisan partners lack access to constant paid labor, causing them to invest in products for which there is no reliable market. Work commissioned by Someone Somewhere provides artisans with increased stability by ensuring payment for hours worked. However, the goods they produce that are not commissioned by Someone Somewhere frequently don’t sell.
2. Artisans lack access to channels needed to market and sell artisanal goods not commissioned by Someone Somewhere. During focus group discussions, community members identified a desire to increase the market value of their products. In Oaxaca, this may be achieved through efforts to increase the visibility of their traditional techniques through market research, online platforms, and on-site opportunities for community visitors to learn about and purchase products.

2022

Social Enterprise:
Someone Somewhere

Fellows:

Lilly Evans-Riera
Public Health & Political Science

Lexi Gomez
Political Science & Spanish Studies