Taxco el Viejo is a small village in the mountains of the state of Guerrero and is home to the jewelry cooperative Union Progresista Artesanal (UPA). Because farming and the occasional sale of a piece of jewelry did not provide enough income to support a family, in 1987 the original members of UPA founded the cooperative with a commitment to raise family incomes by producing and marketing their products collectively and to promote community development projects. 

Today, UPA has become a successful fair trade cooperative.  While many people in the surrounding area of Guerrero have been forced to migrate in search of work, the members of UPA are able to earn a living wage and have stable work throughout the year.  They also give back to their community through garbage collection campaigns, donations to the schools, and support to youth programs.