Choosing a name for our social enterprise

There have been various names that I played with while trying to find an appropriate one for the project, which is now known and incorporated as The Golden Silver Hands social enterprise. The first one was "Andean Textiles", but it was ruled out once the idea evolved to become a marketplace featuring products of a variety of types and not just textiles. Another candidate was "Andean Sun", but it seems there are already a couple of projects using similar names.

There is an expression used in some countries where someone that is particularly good at handcrafting is said to have "golden hands". There couldn't be a more appropriate characterization for the people in the Andes. As in many other parts of the world, the local traditions are rich in various different crafts: textiles, ceramics, jewelry, paintings and more. But unlike most regions in the developed countries the people have maintained a stronger connection with handcrafting. That may possibly be due to the fact that Peru is still a developing economy, and due to the communities in the high Andes being left a little behind the current technological revolution. You may not easily find lawyers, doctors, programmers, or other highly educated professionals, but you can always find an artisan or two in every little street.

During a visit at the Lake Titicaca, in the region of Puno, I was explained by a local resident of the Uros communities, that in local traditions they consider that gold is the masculine element, like the sun, and that silver is the feminine element, like the moon. I therefore decided to integrate this concept into the name of the project and "The Golden Silver Hands" was born.

Branding of the online marketplace had a bit different requirements though. "The Golden Silver Hands" is just too long and I was looking for something short with a pleasant sound. Besides, there may be other types of sub-projects that will develop as part of the activities of the social enterprise so I decided to create a separate brand identity for the online marketplace. The word "Ya" is a word that is commonly used by the locals. You may go to the local market to buy some of the delicious Peruvian fruit (I could live here just for the fruit btw), and when you pay they will most commonly respond "ya, papi". In that context, I would roughly translate it as "ok" with a relaxed and positive tone. I am not sure if the word is used in such context in formal spanish as well, or if it is a local expression.

So I thought this is a pleasant and mellow word with a positive tone in its meaning while being short and easy to remember and I decided to use it. The "Ya Market" was born.