Scarf of Love

Your Price: $30.00

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The Bolivian Scarf of Love is knitted in 100% soft alpaca wool and is specially created for us by indigenous women currently incarcerated in a low-security prison in La Paz. Many of these women have found themselves in situations where stealing or making easy money have become a very tempting option, in order to feed themselves and their children. Most live on the edge of poverty – with few options to earn a living. We are pleased to partner with Knitting Peace, a social enterprise working in Bolivia to bring you these very special scarves filled with the warmth of love.

The Bolivian Scarf of Love comes in two wonderful colors – a midnight blue and vibrant orange red. It is knitted with a lace design with tassels. It measures 68” long and is a comfortable length to wear during those chilly days. A story card is included with your gift.

The Story

Bolivia is one of the poorest countries in South America with a large population of indigenous people who have limited options to survive and usually many mouths to feed. Some end up incarcerated. In Bolivia, because so many children find themselves on the streets, federal law allows incarcerated women to bring their children inside the correction facility with them, for the period of their sentence.

It was this reality that led one young enterprising Bolivian woman, Sonia Gallardo, to start an enterprise that would support these women whilst incarcerated in prison. She noticed on her first visit to a facility on the outskirts of La Paz that many children were running around and playing in the courtyard whilst their mothers everywhere were knitting. The children would attend a local school outside the prison and return “home” at the end of each day.

Living in a prison in Bolivia is financially draining. Whilst the correctional facility provides 2 meals a day and a cot to sleep on, the women must earn money that will support their children’s basic needs including school supplies, clothing, food and health care. The inmates must continue to provide for themselves and their families – with few viable opportunities to do so.

This is the inspiration behind the work of Knitting Peace – creating a knitting enterprise within the walls of the prison whilst ensuring that the women are treated respectfully and with dignity as they knit these beautiful alpaca scarves.