Knit Octopus Ornament

Sumaq Qara

Peru

In 2006, three sisters founded Sumaq Qara in the hopes of bringing economic opportunity back to the women of Ayacucho, Peru.

Internally displaced from guerrilla warfare or domestic violence, these women are generally unable to earn a living selling their products without Sumaq Qara’s resources and connections to the global market.

The organization currently employs over 700 women, many of whom are mothers and the sole providers for their families. Artisans sell environmentally friendly wool accessories, all hand-embroidered in traditional Ayacucho patterns, including patterns inspired by the wild flowers that grow in the mountainous region.