Yuda Bands stems from the Spanish word, ayuda, for help, aid, or assistance. Their mission is to combat poverty by giving the opportunity of education for youth in developing countries, primarily Guatemala, while also cultivating them into leaders. This cycle of impoverished parents not being able to afford sending their kids to school who will then turn into parents that also cannot send their kids to school can only be broken by giving them the education they need. While providing education opportunities in Guatemala, Yuda Bands also has a mission to teach American youth about issues going on in the world around us and the importance and influence that education has on changing lives.
In high school, I worked on the Yuda Bands project with my school’s Key Club. The project works by selling handmade bracelets, called Yuda Bands, at $7 each for about two weeks. We were able to raise about $1,000, which went toward the specific student we chose to sponsor. Yuda Bands gave us her information, such as her age, what year of school she was in, a bit of her family background, and what her aspirations were. They also gave us the chance to do a Skype Call with her, but we unfortunately did not make the time for it. I loved working on this project because we raised money for a mission that I cared about, and we raised awareness about the issue of poverty and the lack of education in developing countries. The organization itself also helped us out a lot, making it easy to work on this project. They were always open and responsive to any questions we had.
Bands are sold for $7 each, and here’s the breakdown of where that money is going. $2.50 directly benefits the student that we choose to sponsor, such as their private school tuition, books and uniforms, and leadership and community service programs. Since all the bracelets are handmade by artisans in Guatemala, $2 goes toward the cost of the Yuda Bands, which includes the materials, importation, and the wage for the makers. The last $2.50 covers operational expenses of the organization which includes shipping of the bracelets to and from each school, advertising resources, and attendance for leadership conferences. Although the entirety of the $7 does not go toward the student, I appreciate the transparency of the organization and where the funds are going. From the $1,000 that we made, $400 went directly toward the student, covering a full year of school which is about $350 in Guatemala.
Issues abroad may seem less prominent than issues in our own communities, but that does not mean we can ignore other areas who need as much help or maybe even more help than what we can see here. Yuda Bands helped my own community grow. I grew closer to people who I worked on the project with, expanding to different schools and people from the organization itself. In addition to developing leaders in Guatemala, there were also developing leaders right here in my own community. Yuda Bands only sells bracelets with schools currently running a project or at leadership conferences they personally attend. Their decision to not sell online or in stores bolsters their mission to expand the awareness of American youth to worldly issues. They want to see students making a difference and allow them the opportunity to see the power in their capabilities to become strong leaders.
$7 may seem like a lot of money for a bracelet. But that $7 can be spent toward your drink at Starbucks. Buying an item may seem like an illegitimate way to make a difference. But that doesn’t stop you from buying a shirt for $36 to save the elephants. Not having 100% of the profits go toward the student may make this organization untrustworthy. But only 1% of the revenue of a bracelet meant to tackle the ocean plastic crisis actually goes toward a nonprofit organization. Yuda Bands may not seem so different from either of these organizations, but a community at my home was fostered with these bracelets while also truly impacting another community elsewhere.
Skylar Lai
Skylar,
ReplyDeleteI thought your post was well organized and I like how you explained where each part of the 7 dollars goes. I also felt your passion for the organization through your writing. However, I do have some concerns about the effectiveness of this organization. You mentioned shipping and importation as being a part of both the $2 and $2.50 that do not go to the student. While I think that selling handmade bracelets is a really good idea, I really feel that the majority of the $7 should be going to the students. Maybe a better alternative would be to just buy bracelet materials from a craft store and have students make the bracelets themselves. This way you don't have to pay for shipping and labor, and more of the cost of the bracelets would go to the students. High quality bracelets aren't that hard or time consuming to make. I used to sell macrame bracelets with beads for $5 in high school. I made about 50 in a day and sold them all. They were easy to make, looked professional, and cost less than a dollar each to make. Also, I think the fact that they don't sell bracelets online impairs their ability to spread awareness because the internet is the main source of information for most people. Aside from these concerns, I do like the mission of this organization. Good post.
-Andrew Werner
I think that the Yuda Bands themselves are an intrinsic part of the organization. As you can see from this video on their website https://www.yudabands.org/how-to-make-a-yuda-band/ , making the bracelets is a more involved process that an average high schooler could not do. Additionally, the bracelets help sustain a portion of the Guatemalan population that may have missed their chance to get an education. This is a longitudinal approach to ending poverty. Lastly, the bracelets have cultural significance as they are intertwined with Guatemalan tradition, and could not be so easily replaced by a typical American friendship bracelet. Someone who purchases one of the Yuda Bands will have a deeper connection to it and could inspire people they know to create a chain reaction of giving.
DeleteI remember Yuda Bands being sold by one of the clubs at my high school last year. However, their intention seemed pretty vague, so it did not gain much traction. Your initiative with your Key Club was likely more successful, as I can see that you have an intimate understanding of how the organization works and what they do, and you can clearly explain it to others. I also like that you were straightforward about the breakdown of the money raised, as I'm sure you have taken from the transparent values of the organization itself. I see no issue with the way they allocate funding. Something really special about it is that you also get to empower the local people making the bracelets, as well as the child you sponsor. Additionally, the bracelets can become a conversation piece that could lead to encouraging your friends and family to learn about and support the organization.
ReplyDeleteI do have a few questions regarding the project. If we make a direct donation to Yuda Bands, rather than purchasing bracelets, do they still send money to the bracelet makers, or just give a larger proportion to the sponsored child? Do we have to choose a specific person to sponsor? Lastly, you mentioned that Yuda Bands is focused on ending the cycle of poverty causing a lack of education in future generations. However, the program is very small compared to the total amount of children in Guatemala. Would a solution like expanding and improving free, public education in the country be a more sustainable option? Is it feasible to do so? I can see that there would be hurdles which would make the methods of Yuda Bands more realistic, I just wonder how effective it is in the long run.