I'm now safely back from Peru with some exciting news: Over the last few days I’ve been looking at properties there. The idea is to create a fully-fledged workshop, shop & café, all staffed by and for the benefit of disabled people !!!! Like Neema Crafts (in Tanzania), but a whole new enterprise in Peru!! In the space of two weeks it’s gone from being a vision to an actual plan, with properties viewed and budgets starting to take shape. The most ideal building I saw... is on the market for £140,000, so we have some serious fundraising to do and FAST. There’s so much need here, but so much potential. So come on folks, if we all work together I know we can do this. Watch this space for how to get involved. If you want to donate straight away please go to the donate page of the Craft Aid website or send me a message. Thank you so much for your support, encouragement, and your prayers – we’re gonna need stacks of all three!
In other exciting news, I mentioned in my last post that we were off to look for potential outlets to sell our products in Arequipa. Well, we found one! (See first picture below left). The shop is really beautiful and -unlike many people we spoke to - the owner was more than happy to help a project that will benefit people with disabilities. We will still loose a cut of the sale price to the shop though, which is entirely fair to the owner, but it would be so much better if we had our own outlet, workshop and café in one place.
Click on the pictures below for captions and more info. Essentially, the pictures show what the current building looks like, and what it could look like (red building) with a little imagination, hard work and TLC. ( And your help! ) With it's central courtyard, beautiful old architectural features and stunning views of Arequipa from the roof-top terrace, it would be the perfect location. There is even room for the church to have a permanent base here, which is very much needed as they currently rent a very unsuitable space and this is their project after all, their way of reaching out to meet the needs of the community. A beautiful place to work and to worship, with disabled people at the centre... at the heart. Please help us to make this vision a reality.
In other exciting news, I mentioned in my last post that we were off to look for potential outlets to sell our products in Arequipa. Well, we found one! (See first picture below left). The shop is really beautiful and -unlike many people we spoke to - the owner was more than happy to help a project that will benefit people with disabilities. We will still loose a cut of the sale price to the shop though, which is entirely fair to the owner, but it would be so much better if we had our own outlet, workshop and café in one place.
Click on the pictures below for captions and more info. Essentially, the pictures show what the current building looks like, and what it could look like (red building) with a little imagination, hard work and TLC. ( And your help! ) With it's central courtyard, beautiful old architectural features and stunning views of Arequipa from the roof-top terrace, it would be the perfect location. There is even room for the church to have a permanent base here, which is very much needed as they currently rent a very unsuitable space and this is their project after all, their way of reaching out to meet the needs of the community. A beautiful place to work and to worship, with disabled people at the centre... at the heart. Please help us to make this vision a reality.
 The courtyard of the current building |  One of the architectural features of the current building. |  What the building could look like... |
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