Our new workshop!
A NEW SPACE TO CREATE
Built on top of the health center that has served our community for years, our new second floor is giving Chimuk’s artisans room to grow.
The workshop sits on a newly built second floor of CESAPU, the public health center in Trujillo funded by our parent NGO, Hands on Peru. For years, CESAPU has offered care and community programs to the families around it.
When we needed more room to grow, we decided to build up and give those programs, Chimuk included, a place to thrive. Chimuk is a collective of 21 women artisans, and a collective needs space to gather, learn and create side by side. Until now, much of that work happened in shared or temporary spaces.
What the new space means
Room to create together.
At the heart of the new workshop are two long worktables where the women sit side by side, with plenty of space to spread out their work. Colorful yarn is stacked all around them, so inspiration is always within reach and the room feels as vibrant as the pieces being made. Behind the artisans, finished products are stored in clear boxes, so every woman can see what the group has achieved together. A few of the pieces are also on display, so the artisans can admire their own handiwork each day.
A dedicated place to learn.
The workshop is also a place to grow new skills. We’ve added a sewing machine, which opens the door to upskilling our artisans beyond knitting and crochet. The tables are movable, so the room can change shape for our holistic sessions, which cover wellness, mindfulness, health, psychology and financial workshops like our artisan savings program. With more space to stretch and share, the workshop supports the women’s wellbeing as well as their craft.
Closer to community care.
Because the workshop shares a building with CESAPU, our artisans are part of a hub where health, education and economic opportunity sit under one roof. A window in the workshop looks into a childcare room for the little ones, so mothers can work with their children close by. Right next door is a classroom where their older children receive free school support every afternoon. For many of our artisans, that means they can focus on their craft knowing their kids are safe, cared for and learning.
Follow along the journey ♡
We post lots of regular updates on our instagram- check it out!
IG: @chimuk.handknit