Rocio the one thread of hope for the forgoten ones

Rocio our knitter, mentioned to me that we were going for a visit to her extended family near Cuzco. She is an extremely talented needle knitter and crochet finisher. She also knows how to dye wool and is very organized with her work to keep on schedule. Once passed the village of Chincheros the bus stopped at the gates of this tall adobe fortress wall. Red letters over the metal gate read Alto INPE de Mujeres #167 it was the check point entrance of the women’s national penitentiary. She said that was her home for 5 years a few years back. While in there she organized a guild of women to knit, embroider, crochet and spin and dye wool as a service to the community. That unlike her roommates in there she was able to see her family and get some visitors to bring her necessities and food on occasion. That her sentence was very short compared to her colleagues for the error she committed and that despite the prison wardens opposition, she was able to create this small enterprise with 26 other inmates to create an income and support for them and their children. Kids who could be inside the walls for up to four years before leaving to a children's orphanage.

The warden received us and explained how the prison managed the project by authorizing Rocío to come in once per month to bring orders, materials, and money to be distributed to each artisan account. The penitentiary kept 10% and charged a small administrative fee to scan and oversee the reception of raw materials and products coming in and out of the facility.

Once inside, I was introduced to the women of the Chincheros Correctional Facility. Many young women with children, some middle aged, rough wearing the scars of years in prison, all foreigners from Romania, Albania, Netherlands, South Africa and other European countries. Women caught for the most part in the drug trade as “mules”, lied to or coerced by dealers into a complicated criminal enterprise that often leaves them very vulnerable in a foreign land. Peru sentenced them to 15 to 20 years behind bars. No visitors, no food other than the terrible one in the kitchen, no basic toiletries or sanitary essentials, no milk for the children or medicine if one is needed. Totally abandoned to their fortune in a very rural and cold place at 11,000 feet above sea level.

Rocio brought me in to be their lifeline, at that moment, I thanked her infinitely to allow me to become their only light and source of hope. Some spoke basic Spanish but all were good at what they had learned from their teacher Rocio. It has been 8 years now, we have helped them live a better life in confinement, some are able to afford a lawyer to appeal their long sentences, all have better food, decent clothes and the basics for everyday life. Some are saving for their trip home the day are free again.

Over the years we have not spread the word of our mission, we feel it’s a double edge sword as we are dealing with women in a vulnerable circumstance in an environment where they have no control but something had to be done to help and that help came from within and to an end consumer that can support the sustainability of the workflow to them. Rocío has fulfilled her promises to go back and save them through us and you our clients that consistently allow this modest income to flow to them. Our help is limited to the amount of raw material the prison will allow at any given time. The project is very fragile and depends on what the regional directors of the penitentiary system will allow and we don't know for how long. We don’t budge, we keep the flow to allow the help for these victims of organized crime at the bottom of the drug trafficking pyramid.

Thank you, you do make an incredible difference in their lives and you may not even know it.