The Puno Region is known to be one of the poorest in Peru. In the 1960’s and 70’s, because of the high child mortality and because rural women were uneducated and exploited, Caritas Peru began Mother’s Clubs. These clubs offered women pre-natal care, education and food from the USA.

Sister Mary Martin, a Sister of Charity nurse, founded our first Centro Materno in Mañazo in 1977. In 1979 she obtained 10 hand knitting machines and 10 sewing machines from US aid and began classes in sewing and hand knitting so that we could make things for our families. Artesania Pachamama grew out of this beginning and we still use some of the sewing machines.

In the early 1980's we experienced three years of disaster.

Drought one year, flooding the next and hail the third destroyed our crops and animals. The food that Caritas gave to the Mother's Clubs was stopped and to make matters worse inflation soared.

We were worried about our families. Food was scarce and we did not know what to do. Desperate, we went to Sister Mary Barbara, our advisor, and asked her for help. Sister had us analyze our resources, talents and needs.

We needed income. We had alpaca wool and knew something about knitting. Alpaca goods sold well in the world market. We would form an artesania. Artesania Pachamama was born - but not without pain and a lot of help.