Who We Are

We are a Guatemala registered non-profit organization that supports Maya women in their process of self-discovery and artistic development. Multicolores’ programs are transformative- creating long-term, sustainable impacts that strengthen entire communities. We use art as a tool for exploration and expression, igniting the artists’ many talents and abilities, and empowering them to become powerful agents of change.

Multicolores works with groups of Maya K’iché, Kaqchiquel and Tzutujil women from the Guatemalan highlands. Our artists represent 9 communities from the regions of Sololá, Totonicapán, Quiché, Quetzaltenango and Sacatepéquez. Together we are a strong support network that encourages well-being and fulfillment among all members. We believe in mutual aid, promote environmental consciousness and thrive on building relationships with diverse local and international communities.

“What we find in Multicolores is the opportunity to express ourselves. We work hard and feel joy in our work. Multicolores means having new experiences, learning new skills, meeting new people, and visiting places we have never been before. In Multicolores, all of us are artists.” – Micaela Yaj Sunú, embroidery artist

  • Mission

    Multicolores offers Guatemalan women innovative opportunities to develop their artistic vision and achieve economic empowerment and personal well-being.

  • Vision

    Our vision is a world in which Guatemalan women achieve artistic success, from which they create an emotionally, economically, socially, and environmentally healthy future for themselves and their families.

  • Values

    • Respect
    • Cooperation
    • Solidarity
    • Learning
    • Elevation
    • Perseverance
    • Social Responsibility
    • Excellence
    • Humanity

Economic Impact

For the Multicolores’ artists, the impact of earning a steady income from their embroidery and rug-hooking results in gender roles redefined and the reshaping of social expectations. Many of the artists become catalysts for positive social change. The artists often choose to invest in their children’s education, health care, home improvements, repaying loans, and more.


During the COVID-19 pandemic, over half of Multicolores’ artists were the sole income earners in their families — supporting a total of 223 relatives.

Environmental Impact

At Multicolores, sustainability is deeply woven into our creative process. Since our first rug making workshop in 2009, repurposing and recycling discarded garments and transforming them into one-of-a-kind art works has been a core value.

As Multicolores expanded into embroidery, teaching a repertoire of more than 50 stitches, the same core value – sustainability - was applied in the art making process. The artists utilize recycled garments as base cloth and chip bags for filler.

In 2024 alone, the embroidery and rug hooking artists gave new life to approximately 10,000 garments—an act of care for both the environment and their communities.

The artist’s use of recycled clothing builds on a no-waste legacy of sustainability and stewardship of the land and provides an innovative model for global craft organizations.