Support Indigenous Weavers in Peru
Donation protected
Who am I?
My name is Ariana Svenson, I’m a West Australian mother of 2 who first travelled to the Andes mountains of Peru 12 years ago. I fell in love with the mountains and the people. I lived in Cusco for many years, and returned to Australia after the birth of my first child. Cusco and the people of the Andes are still in my heart every day.
Who is Threads of Peru?
In 2009 a group of friends and I started Threads of Peru, a non-profit organization that practises fair trade and sustainable development to help Peruvian weavers create and sell handmade textiles. We got to know the weavers, started to work with them and re-invested in the future of their communities. I, along with a small team, continue to put in thousands of volunteer hours each year spreading the mission of our work.
The 80 indigenous Quechua weavers we work with live in remote parts of the Andes, which means they have little access to income other than from the sale of farm produce. The process of creating sustainable development in remote communities is incredibly slow – but we are committed to helping them make a lasting difference to their lives, while they preserve the ancient traditions that date back to the time of the Incas. We’ve realised that in order to do so, we need the help of others: people who place the same importance as us on indigenous cultures, sustainable development, and not giving handouts.
Why now?
Just the other day, high in the Andes mountains at over 15000 feet (4,570 metres), some of our weavers stood staring over their acres of ice-covered potato crops. With the crop destroyed, their situation is looking bleak not only in terms of food stores for the year, but also because they may not have enough seed to plant for next year. It stopped our hearts to hear one of our weavers, Alejandrina, say, "Vamos a morir de hambre. (We are going to die of hunger.)” Though there was a degree of stoic Andean humor in her statement, it did reveal the very real possibility, and how close to the edge life is for many villagers.
It’s really hard to see a situation like that and not want to help – but we don’t believe that giving them cash or even potatoes is the answer. And neither do they.
What will we do with the funds?
We need the additional funding to put in an extra order of ponchos, shawls, scarves, and belts. Your funds will enable us to work with the weavers to ensure their unique, high-quality pieces are made using beautiful color combinations that will sell on the international market. According to fair-trade principles these products will be purchased upfront, thus providing a needed injection of funds, without providing charity.
When these products sell, we will be able to place another order using the funds generated by the original sales.
Our promise to you
Every cent you donate will make a powerful contribution to helping these weavers weather the vagaries of unseasonal weather conditions, and maintain their craft practice so that they build a steady, alternative income stream. Like me, and most of us, they work hard to create a better life for their children than they have had themselves. I am in awe of the determination, perseverance and good humour the weavers show in the face of the many adversities they deal with every day.
About Threads of Peru
Threads of Peru (www.threadsofperu.com ) is a non-profit organization that helps to preserve ancient craft techniques and empower indigenous artisans who live in remote areas and don’t have access to many other sources of income.
We are an international team, and over 60% of us are volunteers. We work in the high, remote Andes with indigenous, Quechua-speaking people in 5 rural communities, representing over 80 weavers. They weave using the ancient techniques of the Incas, and create beautiful fabrics and textile products. We work to revitalise these techniques and guide the weavers regarding the demands of the international market, to provide a supplementary income where the average family income is around $2 a day. We don’t believe that handouts are the answer – long-term training, diversity of income, and education all benefit the long term sustainability of these communities, and that’s what we focus on.
We market these products on a global stage, and where appropriate, add value by incorporating them into fashion-conscious products. Our work has two important aspects:
It revitalises and secures an ancient weaving tradition; and places value on the entire Quechua culture.
It better capacitates marginalised rural people to have a sustainable income and create a better future for their children.
My name is Ariana Svenson, I’m a West Australian mother of 2 who first travelled to the Andes mountains of Peru 12 years ago. I fell in love with the mountains and the people. I lived in Cusco for many years, and returned to Australia after the birth of my first child. Cusco and the people of the Andes are still in my heart every day.
Who is Threads of Peru?
In 2009 a group of friends and I started Threads of Peru, a non-profit organization that practises fair trade and sustainable development to help Peruvian weavers create and sell handmade textiles. We got to know the weavers, started to work with them and re-invested in the future of their communities. I, along with a small team, continue to put in thousands of volunteer hours each year spreading the mission of our work.
The 80 indigenous Quechua weavers we work with live in remote parts of the Andes, which means they have little access to income other than from the sale of farm produce. The process of creating sustainable development in remote communities is incredibly slow – but we are committed to helping them make a lasting difference to their lives, while they preserve the ancient traditions that date back to the time of the Incas. We’ve realised that in order to do so, we need the help of others: people who place the same importance as us on indigenous cultures, sustainable development, and not giving handouts.
Why now?
Just the other day, high in the Andes mountains at over 15000 feet (4,570 metres), some of our weavers stood staring over their acres of ice-covered potato crops. With the crop destroyed, their situation is looking bleak not only in terms of food stores for the year, but also because they may not have enough seed to plant for next year. It stopped our hearts to hear one of our weavers, Alejandrina, say, "Vamos a morir de hambre. (We are going to die of hunger.)” Though there was a degree of stoic Andean humor in her statement, it did reveal the very real possibility, and how close to the edge life is for many villagers.
It’s really hard to see a situation like that and not want to help – but we don’t believe that giving them cash or even potatoes is the answer. And neither do they.
What will we do with the funds?
We need the additional funding to put in an extra order of ponchos, shawls, scarves, and belts. Your funds will enable us to work with the weavers to ensure their unique, high-quality pieces are made using beautiful color combinations that will sell on the international market. According to fair-trade principles these products will be purchased upfront, thus providing a needed injection of funds, without providing charity.
When these products sell, we will be able to place another order using the funds generated by the original sales.
Our promise to you
Every cent you donate will make a powerful contribution to helping these weavers weather the vagaries of unseasonal weather conditions, and maintain their craft practice so that they build a steady, alternative income stream. Like me, and most of us, they work hard to create a better life for their children than they have had themselves. I am in awe of the determination, perseverance and good humour the weavers show in the face of the many adversities they deal with every day.
About Threads of Peru
Threads of Peru (www.threadsofperu.com ) is a non-profit organization that helps to preserve ancient craft techniques and empower indigenous artisans who live in remote areas and don’t have access to many other sources of income.
We are an international team, and over 60% of us are volunteers. We work in the high, remote Andes with indigenous, Quechua-speaking people in 5 rural communities, representing over 80 weavers. They weave using the ancient techniques of the Incas, and create beautiful fabrics and textile products. We work to revitalise these techniques and guide the weavers regarding the demands of the international market, to provide a supplementary income where the average family income is around $2 a day. We don’t believe that handouts are the answer – long-term training, diversity of income, and education all benefit the long term sustainability of these communities, and that’s what we focus on.
We market these products on a global stage, and where appropriate, add value by incorporating them into fashion-conscious products. Our work has two important aspects:
It revitalises and secures an ancient weaving tradition; and places value on the entire Quechua culture.
It better capacitates marginalised rural people to have a sustainable income and create a better future for their children.
Organizer
Ariana Svenson
Organizer
North Walpole WA
