The Q’ewar Project continues to move
towards greater harmony and progress in the key areas of the women’s
work, financial stability and a healthy overall life of the social
initiative. This healthy life is seen in the developing skills that the
women are acquiring, day-by-day, as they become more a part of the
Project’s community life. It is also evident in their joyful faces,
freed from tensions and distress. The feelings and development of a
conscious community is growing. The conversations in the workshops are
deepening and becoming less and less egocentric. There is an awakening
in the women of a warm and lively interest in the daily plight of their
sisters who work beside them.
The fruits of the earth in the
small fields of Q’ewar are showing their abundance. During these days
potatoes, corn, and beans are being harvested. Soon there will be
quinua too! All of these products are of excellent quality, free from
any chemicals - using only natural fertilizer. The cultivation of
garden vegetables and fruit trees has really begun to take root in the
earth during this rainy season.
Q’ewar now has 11 women in
the doll workshop, coming Monday through Friday, improving their skills
daily as well as taking time for their regular duties on the land
according to the needs and rhythms of the growing season.
Each
Saturday there are women who come to Q’ewar for the knitting and
weaving workshops, learning more techniques and skills. The number of
women each Saturday fluctuates as these women also have agricultural
and pastoral responsibilities to fulfill. There are 140 women
registered for the Saturday workshops, but there are only about 90
regulars.
Since the first of March, Q’ewar has acquired a
small commercial shop on the main plaza in the town of Andahuaylillas,
just opposite the colonial Catholic Church dubbed “the Sistine Chapel
of the Americas". This colonial church is elaborately decorated with
paintings of the “Cuzco School". The shop will serve to promote and
sell the products from the workshops, and also will give tourists (who
come to see the famous church) an awareness and opportunity to support
the Q’ewar Project.
Julio and Lucy are very grateful to all
who are helping Q’ewar, especially in North America and Europe; for the
frequent emails, warm words and praise for the Q’ewar dolls; and for
the strength that this encouragement gives Q’ewar to continue its
social initiative.
Warmest regards,
Carmen