Cusco region

<< Back to Meet The Producers

This group of knitters live in a remote, rural area high in the Andes.  It is about 2 hours drive from Cusco, off the road heading south towards Sicuani.   Although the landscape is stunningly beautiful, in a rural location like this, there is little work for women, and the men work in the surrounding fields or doing maintenance work for the Municipality for about $2 a day.   

The knitting project here has opened up an opportunity for women to earn much-needed extra income. Around 50 women in the village and surrounding areas are involved in knitting hats, scarves and mittens. 

All products are made from 100% alpaca which is purchased in Cusco from Michell, a well known alpaca manufacturer.  The alpaca wool is distributed to the women free of charge, and the women take the wool home to knit our orders in their own time, often early in the morning.  When they have finished the products, they immediately receive cash in hand payment.  Unlike other artisans in Peru these women do not have to spend large amounts of money to buy the raw materials for their work and they do not have to wait for long periods to receive payment.

Veronica is a local mother who for many years has helped to administer the project and check the quality and measurements of garments and encourage newcomers on their progress.  The language spoken is Quechua.  Each woman has her own report card that records the products she has completed and that she signs when she has received payment.  This group of knitters was originally established by the Sisters of St Joseph and is now an independent civil association.

Click here for interviews with two of the women from this project, which gives a little insight into daily life there.

The picture shows Esperanza and her son with Veronica, who helps in managing the day to day activities of the workshop and translates from Quechua to Spanish when necessary.  Veronica is weighing and measuring Esperanza’s grey scarf before paying her for her work. She then weighs out another measure of wool for Esperanza’s next piece. Each member of the group has a white card that records how much they have been paid to ensure that the work is shared equally. Without this project Esperanza would have no means of earning an income.