Introduction

The rural community of Chari is located in the district of Checacupe, Canchis Province, some 100km from Cusco. The town is located 3446 meters above sea level between the district capitals of Checacupe and Pitumarca. Chari is famous for having recovered ancestral weaving techniques and designs, like the “Ticlla Liclla”, a four piece decorative blanket/shawl. Rainbow Mountain and the Incan archeological site/park “Machu Pitumarca” are located nearby.

If you would like to visit this community, we can organize your volunteering trip or a tour to discover:

– The authentic Andean weavings

– The experiential Rainbow Mountain

Project

In Chari we have worked with the association of women “Pallay Lliclla” (“shawl designs” en Quechua) since 2004. The women of the Chari are the founding partners of the Association of Weavers of the South Andes “Inkakunaq Ruwaynin”, which runs a fair trade artisanal textile store in the Historic Center of Cusco. They have come a long way: from women who were illiterate and discriminated against they have become leaders with business skills and self esteem. They have traveled to fairs in France and Mexico and constructed, with the revenue from selling their textiles, two community lounges in Chari, where they attend to visitors. Now they form part of two projects led by the CBC in conjunction with the BACKUS Foundation and “Brot für die Welt”.

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