Awamaki Journal: A Blog About Textiles, Travel and the Sacred Valley – tagged "Category_Impact"

Mar 17, 2021

Awamaki Founder Talks Sustainable Tourism with Peru for Less

With picturesque landscapes and a vibrant array of cultural traditions, Peru is a destination that keeps you moving from one incredible vista to the next. We believe in the importance of empowering rural Peruvian women and their communities through responsible travel. This is why we work with responsible travel agencies like Peru for Less. Promoting travel while keeping sustainability in mind, Peru for Less is a boutique travel agency that has designed customized trips to Peru that enrich travellers’ understanding and connection with Peru for over 20 years. Awamaki is pleased to be Peru for Less’ Top Pick...

Feb 20, 2020

Our Compañera: Felicitas

Felicitas comes trekking up the hill, her manta woven of the brightest yarn, and her montera covered in sequins and flowers glistening in the sun. Confident, and with a broad smile she approaches me, reaches out her hand to take mine before I’m even aware she knows who I am....

Sep 03, 2019

What is an Awamaki Media and Communications Workshop Like?

What is an Awamaki Media and Communications Workshop Like? By Sarah Crable, Marketing and Communications Intern After about two and a half hours of driving through the mountains, past herds of alpacas and stunning views of Apu Veronica, we came into a valley dotted with red roofs. As we (four...

Jul 16, 2019

#EveryStitchaStory: Global Giving Bonus Day

#EveryStitchaStory: Global Giving Bonus DayBy Helen Johnston, Marketing and Communications Intern From the wool of Peruvian alpacas to the handbag over your shoulder, do you ever wonder how we go from traditional textiles to favorite accessories? Exquisite weavings done by artisans like Gregoria (you can learn more about her here)...

Jul 10, 2019

Getting to Know Huilloc Alto

By: Emily Radek, Marketing and Communication Intern Ascending into the mountains, about 4,000 feet higher in altitude than Ollantaytambo, you reach Huilloc-Alto. The drive is long enough to sit and enjoy the views from the car window. Once you reach Huilloc, a twisty road continues farther up the steep mountain...

Feb 27, 2019

A Big Thank You For Your GlobalGiving Help

A Big Thank You To Your GlobalGiving HelpBy Allegra Bundy, Marketing and Communications Intern As the new year begins, we would like to take the time to thank all our supporters and donors who have helped us achieve our goals through GlobalGiving. Our partnership with GlobalGiving has allowed us to...

Oct 14, 2018

Congratulations Songuillay!

Congratulations Songuillay!By Kennedy Leavens, Executive Director, & Brianna Griesinger, Marketing and Communications Coordinator The highlight of our year is the graduation of Songuillay, a cooperative of 42 women in the community of Patacancha. This is a major milestone for Awamaki. Songuillay was the first group of artisans with whom we...

Oct 07, 2018

Our Compañera: Exaltación

Our Compañera: Exaltación!By Brianna Griesinger, Marketing and Communications Coordinator “Allianchu compañera,” we greet each other in Quechua as we meet in her home community of Huilloc. Exaltación isn’t shy, she may only speak a limited amount of Spanish, but she is eager to answer my questions, as eager as I...

Jun 27, 2018

Posed to Empower

Posed to EmpowerBy Elizabeth Salley, Marketing and Communications Intern “Okay, it´s time for affirmations! Find a partner!” Ginette Collin announces. The room becomes a flurry of movement as the artisans pair up and giggle. At first, some of the women are quiet, but within the next few minutes, the meeting...

Apr 23, 2018

New and Improved

New and ImprovedBy Gabriela Moncada, Marketing and Communications Intern When Awamaki began, our focus was on economic empowerment. Income in the hands of women, we believed, was the best way to enable them to lift their communities to prosperity. We still believe that, however; in the past few years, our...

Oct 04, 2017

Graduating Class of 2017

This month, an important piece of our vision for the future actually happened. How often can you say that!? For three years we have been telling you about our goal of graduating our cooperatives as independent businesses, and we developed the Awamaki Impact Model as a way to encourage the...

Mar 21, 2017

Sustainable Tourism: Moving Songuillay Forward

When we ask our partner cooperatives what they dislike about participating in out programs, we often only get silence in return. The weavers assume that if they give us negative feedback, we won’t work with them anymore. Of course, this isn’t true, and when we overcome this assumption we receive...

Mar 21, 2017

Awamaki Impact Update: Tourism Sales

At the beginning of a sustainable community tour with Awamaki, our partner weavers and teachers greet tourists with warm smiles and bunches of flowers. After introductions, the women demonstrate how to spin and naturally dye alpaca and sheep fibers. Next up is the main event – a one on...

Dec 29, 2016

Reflections and Resolutions with Songuillay

Check out the 2016 reflections and 2017 resolutions of Elena, Albertina, Estefania, and Placida below! Elena Mamani Quispe Looking back, Elena thinks that 2016 was a success because Songuillay bettered itself as an organization. The group implemented a new tourism rotation schedule, worked on group unity, and improved their...

Dec 20, 2016

Featured Cooperative: Rumira

Our featured cooperative this season is Rumira, also known as the Asociación Virgen de Carmen! Over the past year, Rumira has formed an independent client relationship with Cocoliso, the owner of a wool and knit clothing store in Cusco of the same name. They have also almost completed their community...

Dec 15, 2016

New Year's Resolutions with Puente Inca

Some of the knitters of the Puente Inca cooperative have already set goals for the new year. Read their resolutions below to find out what they personally and professionally want to achieve in 2017. Maritza Baca Espinoza: Maritza hopes that in 2017 the Puente Inca group will be able to...

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