We were pleased to meet a new generation of knitters who knit puppets as a way to earn extra money while studying to become engineers and computer programmers.

As we saw first hand, the need in this region is great and it is our goal to expand our reach to more families. We discovered a new cooperative and by talking to leaders Daria and Marcia, we learned more about the local market, their challenges and the competition they face. This cooperative was lucky to receive a grant from a Japanese non-profit which allowed them to stock up on materials for knitting a pile of so-so low quality puppets. But in their work and enthusiasm we see potential, so we are now helping them realize that quality pays and that they can get a premium for better knitting.

With your continuous support, we hope to prove to these ladies that we can buy a decent number of puppets at a fair price and on a regular basis so they can count on the extra income to help their families. Only in this way can we hope to make an impact by establishing a long-term relationship that will allow them to build capacity and skills at a comfortable pace. We look forward to seeing this young cooperative flourish.

After this unique and enriching visit to Puno, we returned home with a sense of accomplishment combined with an urge to see more things happening. The importance of fair trade was clear as is the need to bring more hope.