New and Featured
Happiness Project Highlights in 2019
byHappiness is not a commodity. It must be created, cultivated, and shared. Our NOVICA global teams dedicate themselves daily to delivering joy in unexpected…
No Child Should Live Without This
byWith their homeland in turmoil and their futures uncertain, this group of refugee children from Venezuela received a special visit from NOVICA Brazil for…
What One Guatemalan Woodcarver Can Teach Us About the Real Causes of Immigration
byTo understand immigration, we need to understand the root causes that motivate people to leave their homes and travel to a different country. Immigration…
Dorm Room Decorating Ideas for Creative Campus Living
byWith the start of college fast approaching, it’s time to start gathering shower caddies, laundry detergent, power strips, coat hangers, and other items to survive…
A Small Act of Kindness with Big Impact
byNOVICA Headquarters set out to support local homeless individuals. They soon learned that kindness flowed both ways. The backpacks were all in bright colors….
At his darkest moment, this artisan took the biggest risk of his life
byJulio Eugenio Sanchez Bernuy clearly remembers the first time he saw a finished piece of art. At that moment, he said to himself, ‘Julio,…
We All Have A Mother To Admire
byMexico has lots of reasons to celebrate Mother’s Day. We’ve done so each year on May 10 for the last 95 years. The custom…
Cause of the Week – Love Button Global Movement
byWe’re excited to feature the Love Button Global Movement. A non-profit organization that promotes a culture of love by inspiring our human family to…
Cause of the Week – CureCervicalCancer
byWe’re excited to feature this powerful, mission-driven organization that is doing so much good around the world. Cervical cancer is nearly 100% preventable, yet…
The power of a simple question: #whomademyclothes?
byFashion Revolution Week, which kicks off on April 22-28, operates under the belief that a group of individuals can change the world by asking…
Beautiful Scarves Made By Widows of Guatemala’s Civil War
byFormed in 1987, the K’amolon K’i K’ojonel cooperative provides support to women left widowed during Guatemala’s violent civil war. Their mission is to create…
Solace in the simple things after a life of loss
byHis mother was killed in the crossfire of Guatemala’s civil war. He was sexually abused at the age of 11 years old. But this…
Ring in Spring: Blossom in this Jewelry Collection
byAnd just like that, SPRING HAS SPRUNG! I don’t know about you, but I have been so ready for these longer and warmer days…
How One Sculptor’s Vigilance Keeps his Wife Alive
byMorneo creates alebrijes—magical creatures filled with color and expression. But his greatest work extends beyond the walls of his workshop to the daily…
How One Artisan Balances Woodworking With Conservation In His Local Forest
byGrowing up in the forests of Chimaltenago, Patricio Coroy was fortunate to play in the dense woodlands. But as he grew older, he noticed…
She harvests what others reject. But this artist is doing more than saving the environment with her work.
byAs an advocate for sustainability, this up-cycling bead-worker challenges us to open our eyes, not just to the plight of our planet, but to…
Balvina Huaytalla: Andean appliqué and the art of weaving dreams that tell stories
byThe possibilities are endless when a person faces high-risk decisions in life that may result in success or failure. When everything seems fraught with…
Stunning First Impressions: Tips for Decorating Your Entryway
byIn our society, first impressions hold a lot of weight. We put emphasis on sounding our best, looking our best, and being our best. The…
Alejandro Chavez, healing the pain of tragedy with Ayacuchan retablos
byAlejandro Chavez began learning the art of Ayacuchan retablos, or dioramas, at a very young age. But a war forced him to awaken from…
These Guatemalan Artisans Built Something Amazing Out of Their Deepest Despair.
byThrough their compassion, commitment, and creativity, Argentina and Francisco Figueroa teach us that a bracelet, a bowl, and an ornament can represent much more…
The Art that Doesn’t Die: Gregorio Bracamonte Creates New Archaeology
by“Before I die, I want to leave many designs so that people remember me” San Juan de Oriente is a town in Nicaragua that…
Making a Mark: Jalapa Girl Jewelsmiths Embody Female Empowerment
byOurs are the hands that create lovely items to sell and we manage our own micro-business. With the profits, we help ourselves and our…
One Man’s Incredible Journey: The Life of Jewelry Artisan, Wilder Paredes
byGreat talent has always been something of a mystery. Mozart published his first piece of music when he was five years old. Pablo Picasso…
Weaver of Dreams: The Magic of Mayra Hernandez
by“We suffered not only the grief from my father’s death, we also suffered hunger and sickness… but all of this made me stronger and, thanks to…
The Essential Ingredients for A Spirited Christmas Fiesta
byHow one NOVICA Happiness Project in Guatemala shines a light on love this Christmas season Stars, ornaments, and Mr. and Mrs. Claus: the foundation…
How A Small Organization with A Big Heart is Changing Lives
byThe lessons from one NOVICA Happiness Project in India are simple, yet profound: Love is shared in the small details, basic gestures, and many…
How to Make the World’s Most Neglected Citizens Smile Wide
byNOVICA’s Happiness Project in Thailand spotlights an incredible group of kids, the orphans of KaeNoi, with a day they won’t forget. Groaning around hairpin…
The retablo, when a religious tradition becomes popular art
byRecently, a short documentary published on the Nat Geo webpage put the spotlight on a popular art that has existed only in the Peruvian…
It’s Sweater Weather: Fashions for Men and Women
byDays get shorter, the air gets crisper, and just like that, fall is among us. After a long, hot Floridian summer, I could not…
Guatemalan Day of the Dead: Giant Kites and A dish with 50 ingredients
byEach year, during the Day of the Dead, the skies above the small village of Santiago are filled with giant kites called barriletes. Although Guatemala…