July News, 2007

Dear Friends of Q’ewar,

Well, it is Winter now in the Peruvian Highlands, and night time weather is quite cold. There have been unusually low temperatures this year and life amongst those who have very little is not easy. With only a cooking fire in many dwellings, there are few comforts like warmth and coziness on a winter’s night. Doors and windows that are not ‘tight’ let in draughts and bedtime comes early so that all can help each other keep warm in the family bed.

The Q’ewar Project is situated a little lower than the high valley city of Cuzco, but nevertheless, it shares in this winter’s frigid night air. With no hot running water or heaters of any kind, the villagers of the pueblo Andahuaylillas are hardy folk, you can be sure!

As orders for the lovely Q’ewar dolls and shawls keep coming in, there have been a few changes made in the workshops – with newcomers to the Project and exchanges in work responsibilities. This is all very healthy and takes into consideration the needs of the women to have diversification and the freedom to take on other tasks.

In this time of the dry season, adobe bricks for the new schoolhouse of Wawa Munakuy are being fashioned. It is very important that work on the adobe has begun because once the rainy season begins (could be as early as November), the bricks need to be quite dry and stacked until they are used in the construction.

Since it will be a two story edifice, some 4,000 bricks, (16” long x 5” depth x 8” wide approximately) will be needed. As these bricks are being made, work is being done on leveling the land in preparation for construction. When the construction starts and the schoolhouse begins to take shape, we’ll have some photos for you!

At the end of June, the Q’ewar team of 22 women, 3 men and 18 children, went to the yearly Huancaro Fair on the edge of Cuzco. It was a day all will remember! Many of the women had never been to the Fair (even though it takes place every year, less than 2 hours away!) and the children were able to enjoy all the farm animals in their stalls.

A word of great THANKS to those of you who have sent the non-profit, FRIENDS OF QEWAR, a donation through Paypal, online. Every donation is most gratefully received and anyone who has not received a letter of thanks, PLEASE contact us via qcontact@qewar.com and send a postal address. We want to officially acknowledge your most welcome donation to the Project.

Please do write us with your comments, questions or suggestions! We always enjoy hearing from you!

Winter/Summer greetings to each of you!

 

Julio, Lucy and Carmen

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