The land of the small mining community of Morcá,a four hour bus ride south of Bogotá, Colombia, has degraded from years of mining. This situation has left few economic alternatives for its inhabitants. The people of Morcá primarily rely on the revenue generated from their coal mines.

Young men and boys work in mine shafts that have only rudimentary support infrastructures and unsafe conditions. Many boys and adult heads of households have died from collapses and inhaling the buildup of poisonous gases.

In 1995, the Colombian government established a workshop to train boys how to carve figurines and jewelry from coal, hoping that revenues generated from craft production would provide an alternative to working in the mines.

In the morning the boys attend academic classes, and then go to the workshop to learn to carve coal and to work on their projects. Unfortunately, the workshop has not yet reduced the need to work in the mines.

Although the boys are skilled in producing beautiful crafts, there are too few markets.

Without income, and needing to support their families, the boys feel obligated to leave the school and workshop and return to the coal mines.

While this is the current story of Morcá, it's not the final chapter.

We hope that with your help we can provide consistent work for the boys at the workshop, so that they can continue with their education and not return to the mines.

Please consider supporting this Colombian project. Your purchases will positively impact the lives of boys, young men, and families of Morcá.

Click through the pictures to see how they're made.

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