That’s what SHE said: Reflections from Krochet Kids Peru
“When a mentor with Krochet Kids Peru showed up at her door she was holding Akemi in her arms and was convinced that they were there to take away her baby. She recounted this story to us there eight months later with a bit of a chuckle, physically showing how she tried to hide the baby, knowing now how far she’s come because of that knock on the door. But this is a circumstance I and so many of you will not ever be able to comprehend. Never would we stand at the door of our home, our two-month-old baby in our arms, thinking some agency has shown up to take her away and terrified that they have the authority to do so.”
“This trip was my first time visiting an impoverished area in another country, and I really wasn’t sure what to expect … Let me be honest – it was shocking, and got me spinning a bit. It took me about 1.3 seconds to realize that my life is a bit sheltered. You can read the stories and look at the photos, but it’s not until you are physically standing on a dusty road surrounded by decrepit buildings, some with no running water, piles of trash and and stray animals at every turn that you actually feel the enormity of your own privilege.”
"You Are A Mother And A Sister." | Girl's Gone Child
“One women stands and starts to speak, passing her gift to its recipient along with praise…who in turn passes hers along, and so on around the circle… “You are an incredible mother…. a great friend and confidant…” “You make me laugh and I love your optimism…” “Thank you for being a great friend. You are so beautiful.” …And I am reminded, once again, how similar we all are. How important rooms full of women are for the world. Circles of people are powerful—when everyone is able to see each other, something happens. We are as exposed as we are included. Even when it feels uncomfortable, we cannot help but look around.”
A Slip Knot On Your Hook | Dooce
“Each item in their collection is made by impoverished women in Uganda or Peru who take part in a mentoring program over multiple years with the end goal of entering the broader workforce and achieving independence for themselves and their children. Here in Peru most of the women in the program live in a squatted shanty town in the hills around the district of Chorrillos. They have no running water. Transportation in this area occurs on unpaved roads. And an actual person from Korchet Kids intl. shows up at their door offering a life-changing opportunity, an otherwise impossible vehicle out of these circumstances.”
“Krochet Kids intl. is working hard to reimagine the relationship between a consumer, their clothing, and the person who made it by providing transparency through that process at the human level, and I will be sharing my experiences with you over the next week as I spend time with the Krochet Kids Peru team. I am beyond thrilled to have this opportunity, and you can read more about what we’re striving to achieve here.”
To Lima And Beyond... | Girl's Gone Child
“The goal of the trip is to raise funds for the education of these women and to spend time getting to know them and their products (which are beautiful, by the way), the sale of which provides 80% of their funding. I am so looking forward to getting to know the women makers behind these beautiful products and doing what I can to elevate this incredible organization and the women who make it so.”
The goal of this trip, beyond hopefully inspiring you to buy some great products to support this brand, is to sponsor 50 women for the year at $35 a month. By sponsoring a woman you provide her with top-level training from the Peruvian staff and partners, and 100% of your donation goes directly to the program. Click here to donate.
