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Uplifting Women Through Creativity: A Journey of Hope and Dignity

When planning a trip to Peru, most people Google “Top 10 things to see or do.” The results often suggest visiting the breathtaking Machu Picchu or savoring the delicious cuisine in Lima. It’s hard to imagine that the majestic places we visit can also have areas where people live in extreme poverty.

In 2000, I traveled to Trujillo, Peru, and stayed in the charming town center, filled with beautiful shops and hotels designed for tourism. However, just 15 kilometers away lies “La Esperanza,” a barrio known for its poverty, lack of jobs, and high numbers of single mothers and children. Witnessing this stark contrast moved me deeply and made me realize that I was meant to serve this community, although I was unsure how.

Understanding that handouts would not create permanent change, I returned home determined to find a sustainable solution. Partnering with a non-governmental organization, we brought in trainers to teach women various textile arts such as crochet, knitting, and embroidery. The response was overwhelming—150 women attended the free, hands-on training sessions, marking the beginning of a transformative ministry.

To create sustainable incomes and improve the lives of these women, we established Moche Lifestyle, a socially responsible, for-profit company in the U.S. Our mission is to provide business and design mentorship, helping these women elevate their products to meet market standards and trends. We also offer distribution, marketing, and a platform to introduce their handcrafted knits to the international market. Our goal is to uplift these women through earned wages, ensuring they maintain their hope and dignity.

In collaboration with the women of Trujillo, we developed a fashion line featuring luxurious Alpaca Yarn a renowned Peruvian fiber. Each item is meticulously hand-knit by artisans who infuse their work with love and high-quality standards. By combining their exceptional techniques with designs curated by our company, we have created a unique apparel line for discerning clients seeking handcrafted knitwear.

To date, we have trained over 400 women in hand-knit techniques and basic business skills. Six of our original trainees are now actively training women in new barrios. Thanks to the success of our programs, companies like Caja Trujillo have provided socially responsible funding for extended training opportunities, allowing more women to gain marketable skills and improve their lives.

Over the past 14 years, we have experienced many triumphs and setbacks. Today, Moche Lifestyle sells exclusively wholesale to U.S. boutiques, and we recently shipped our first international order! While wholesale sales generate work for the women, the pricing only covers the cost of fiber, labor, shipping, and customs. Additional expenses once they arrive in the US, such as blocking the knits, tagging, labeling, marketing, boxing, and shipping are underwritten by myself, my family and the generous help from others.

To support our ongoing ministry expenses, I have decided to use my artwork as a "Give-Get" funding opportunity. This art sale will help cover the costs of one large box (60 pieces) of hand-knit alpaca ponchos from the mothers in Peru, ensuring they are available for the Autumn/Winter sale on the wholesale site Faire at the end of July.

Any additional funding will help continue the process for the next box to keep the women knitting. Estimating from our past sales I will need to bring in another 5-7 boxes $13,400- $18,760 by the year's end.

Your support will directly impact the lives of these incredible women, providing them with sustainable income and the opportunity to care for themselves and their children. When asking the mothers’ what are their primary goals, their response is to keep their children in school, with the hope of breaking this poverty cycle. Together, we can continue this journey of hope and dignity.

Thank you for your generosity. Together we continue to change lives one stitch at a time.

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#ArtisanMade #HonestlySourced #EthicalFashion

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30 Days of Art and Alpaca: Uplifting Women Through Creativity

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