CMJ retailers, suppliers help fund sewing project in Peru
December 2017 – The Company of Master Jewellers (CMJ) has raised funds to support a sewing machine project for the ‘Pallaqueras’ at a Fairtrade mining operation site at Macdesa, Peru.
In 2016 funds were raised at CMJ’s UK Jewellery Conference by CMJ retail members and approved suppliers.
One part of the fund has been used to support a project for the women in the Fairtrade mining community of Macdesa.
The women at the mining operation site, known as ‘Pallaqueras’, make a living by sorting out the waste process rocks that are not valuable to the miners, because the gold content is so minimal it doesn’t make economic sense to process it at the plant.
The job is hard and dusty as it is carried out on a pile of tonnes of stones.
The sewing machine project has been set up to help provide the Pallaqueras with a secondary source of income which will help to improve their standard of living.
CMJ has funded the purchase of the sewing machines and units for inside the workshop along with specialised training on the machines for the women in the community who can use the equipment for free.
They will now be able to make and sew clothes, mining uniforms and football kits which they can sell to the people in this and other mining communities.
Lucy Reece-Raybould, CMJ’s executive director of business development and marketing, visited Macdesa in 2016 and was inspired by the communities and the work of Cred Jewellery in the Fairtrade mining sites.
“My trip to Peru was a real eye opener and compelled me to want to do something to help,” she said.
“With support from Alan Frampton and Monica Garcia at Cred Jewellery we managed to facilitate a visit to the UK, from miner Roger Arcos, and one of the miners’ daughters, Dajhana, to come and speak to the CMJ Conference.
“Their accounts of life in a mining community and how Fairtrade has helped them, along with their hope for the future improvements moved our members and suppliers to donate funds for worthy causes in the Fairtrade mining communities in Peru.
“Now I’m thrilled to announce the project has been implemented with the help of Cred Jewellery.
“The Macdesa company constructed a floor and the funds from CMJ have kitted out the entire workshop and purchased a whole suite of sewing machines as well as enlisted specialised training for the women to learn how to use the machines.”
Cred Jewellery helped to facilitate the project and Monica Garcia has seen first-hand how the project will benefit and enrich the lives of the Pallaqueras.
“The sewing machine project has been called ‘Lucy sewing project’ to acknowledge the passion and action that she has brought to the project at Macdesa,” she said.
“It will make such a positive difference to these women’s lives.”
