From April 24 to May 3, the Parkway West Spanish Club arranged a nonprofit event called The Pulsera Project. In Spanish, Pulsera directly translates to bracelet, and that’s precisely what the club offered for sale.

The Pulsera Project uses hand-woven, colorful bracelets and handbags imported directly from Central America— mostly Guatemala and Nicaragua— to help support local artisans and raise money for struggling lower-income communities. During lunch hours, members of the Spanish Club sold bracelets for $5 each and handbags for $15.

“In Spanish Club, this is one of the main activities that we do [every year], and it gives exposure to many people inside and outside of the Spanish club,” Spanish Club vice president and sophomore Ryan Shabani said. “I’m personally doing it because I want to also help raise money for these people in Latin America. I feel really good to be a part of it because I’m glad that we’re helping people.”

The Pulsera Project is nonprofit and its headquarters is located in South Carolina. It was founded in 2009 and has sold over one billion pulseras. Bracelets and handbags are hand-woven with fabrics, string, plastic and leather. In addition to the bracelet, each purchase comes with a small picture and bio of the artist who created it. The proceeds go back to the Central American communities to fund better healthcare, housing and education.

“It gives us a more personal connection to what we’re wearing,” Spanish Club sponsor Dominique Navarro said. “It opens people’s eyes to what the struggles are in other countries and it’s a reminder that we all live in a very different world. Some places have challenges that we don’t and we can help.”

This year, the Spanish club made $230 to donate back to the organization. Compared to the $500 last year, it wasn’t as much as the club had hoped for. Even so, the club plans to bring it back next year with high enthusiasm.

“We had some bumps this year,” Navarro said. “Last year we were a lot better about promoting the project around the school. There were a lot more flyers out with more advanced notice so students could bring in cash and be ready for it. But I believe we can make it better next year with more advertisement.”

The bracelets that aren’t sold are dispersed to other Parkway schools to hopefully be sold there. If not, they eventually make their way back to the organization. While the bracelets might not all be sold, the Pulsera project still gains publicity and awareness for their cause.

“The Pulsera Project is very important because it expands our views culturally,” Shabani said. “We get to see cultures from all around the world. We get to see all these bracelets and appreciate these artists. The Pulsera Project allows us to have a sense of community and involvement in the world.”