
Animalitos, Baby Blankets & Kantuta
If you're looking for a wonderful gift for children, look no further than "Animalitos".
Whether you buy one, five, ten or twenty, the wonderful little finger puppets
are a bargain guaranteed to keep children busy putting on "shows" for hours.
And, at $2/each plus shipping they're quite a bargain. Also available are
handmade baby blankets (priced at a very reasonable $20/each plus shipping)
which are made by Aymara women in Chucuito, Puno, Peru. They live in a village
about 20 minutes from the city of Puno at an altitude of 12,800 feet. Their area
has been designated by the United Nations as a permanent disaster area with that
designation never having been lifted. This special group of artisans, named
after the national flower of Bolivia which is grown on the Atliplano of Peru, is
called the Kantuta. The flower, both delicate and sturdy, mirrors the
qualities of the women themselves.
This group of craftswomen is comprised of Kantutitas (under 15 years of age,)
Kantutas (teenagers and young adults who use their earnings to supplement their
education,) Mamas Kantutas (young mothers, often single parents) and Flor de
Kantuta (more mature women whose earnings augment a very meager family inclome).
By purchasing these items, you help support this group which was begun by the
Sisters of Mercy in the Parish of Chucuito over ten years ago to promote dignity
and provide them with communal activities and growth opportunities.
If you're interested in obtaining quantity discounts, contact Anne Johnson,
Mercy Associate at
AJohnson@mercyburl.org. Shipping charges are determined by the amount of the
order, so check the Order Form for
details. The baby blanket on the order form depicts an Ark filled with wonderful
animals handcrafted especially for you.
Handcrafted Animalitos are available in the following forms: