Crocheted Angel Ornaments in White from Peru (Set of 3) - Pure Angels

Artisan Organization: Edith Alvitez

Country: Andes

"I am Edith Alvitez. I was born in Abancay, which features beautiful landscapes, like the Ampay National Sanctuary. This is a wildlife sanctuary, and also serves as a border between the Andes and the cloud forest of the Amazon Basin, which is found to the north of a mountain city called Apu Ampay (the Lord of Ampay in the indigenous cosmology).

"I spent my childhood here in Abancay. With a lot of effort, I was able to go to primary and secondary school. It was very difficult and complicated getting ahead.

"I admire my mother a lot for her valiance, protecting her five children and exhibiting strength that I could never imagine. My mother did everything that she could, and took jobs such as selling common cheeses from the region. She also wove blankets for me and my siblings. This was my first introduction to textiles, helping my mom without imagining that I would dedicate myself to it one day.

"I lived in Abancay until I was 18 years old, when I had to travel to Ayacucho with one of my sisters for economic reasons. My mom went to Lima, the capital, in order to work and provide for the family. When I arrived in Ayacucho, I had to work many different jobs in order to sustain myself from day to day. I worked in a bookstore and I distributed flyers and advertisements at an academy on the outskirts of the city. I also worked at a photocopy store for three years. I was always very attentive to new opportunities, but studying a technical career was very expensive. Then the municipality offered opportunities for youth to learn about new trades for generating income, and I did not want to pass it up.

"In one of the positions, I learned to crochet. It was difficult at first, but with practice and dedication, I was able to make all kinds of accessories and clothing items, achieving great mastery. It is, without a doubt, an activity that I enjoyed, allowing me to earn an income.

"It was then that I decided that crochet would be one of my primary activities. To date, I have not left my other positions. I also help in a popular dining hall named Vaso de Leche, helping prepare food and drinks for young adults and parents together with my community.

"I became a mother of two, a girl and a boy, and it is for them that I seek ways of getting ahead so that they can have a promising future. My children are my main source of inspiration and energy for all of the activities that I do.

"I am very thankful for the great opportunity to bring my work to other countries through Novica. I love the idea of being able to reach other homes with my art, which is made with a lot of care and effort." "