Lima
The group of women we work with in the El Pacifico suburb of Lima consists of eleven women who are employed full time, and another eight women who work when demand is high. They specialise in making our children's clothing and our alpaca jumpers (our bestselling product) on small knitting machines. They pride themselves on the excellent quality of their products. It is a friendly place to work, where everyone is respected and treated as equal. Birthdays are celebrated together and at Christmas everyone receives a sack of essentials such as rice and sugar, or the employees are treated to a celebratory lunch at a local restaurant. The key materials they use are cotton (including an organic, fairtrade certified cotton which they source from Naturtex in Lima) and an alpaca mix which is 50% alpaca and 50% acrylic, as well as 100% alpaca.
Amy has worked with these ladies for seven years and is close friends with them, speaking with them frequently. The group was first formed in 1990 by the Sisters of St Joseph in response to a desperate need to generate employment in the area, particularly for women. Back then they were located on the very edge of Lima, and infrastructure and roads were lacking. Nowadays, the area is built up and much advanced, although shanty houses are nestled amongst better houses and parks. However, it is still an area of great need and Mamacha is committed to continuing to provide work to the women there.
The ladies break for lunch, during James's last visit:
