Mosqoy's Update on COVID-19

Dear Mosqoy supporters,

We hope you feel safe and supported, and that you are finding creative ways to be kind and compassionate with your neighbours (from a responsibly safe distance away!) as we universally navigate this uncertain time. 

We apologize for our delay in reaching out to you; our first priorities were to our students, weavers, and team members, as we tried to lessen the effects of Corona on our Mosqoy family as much as possible.

Our last excursion before the quarantine. Weavers from our partnering community of Amaru hiked with us up to the community of Cancha Cancha to facilitate a cleaning workshop, as part of our alpaca recuperation project and in preparation to launch our new organic, all-natural alpaca fibres line. They did an amazing job teaching the Cancha Cancha weavers how to clean their alpaca yarn using all-natural plants from their region (which act as shampoos). (Photo by Kathy Gutierrez)

Here at Mosqoy, we deeply value the holistic well-being of our staff and volunteers. While it is their responsibility to focus on their health, it is ours to try to find creative solutions to ensure their job stability and emotional support during this unstable time.

We have no idea how far-reaching this pandemic will go; nobody does... yet. What we do know is that Peru's government has mandated a nation-wide military-imposed quarantine, and has restricted all regional and international travel for the foreseeable future. (Yes, we are safe and okay.) They are doing everything in their power to take preventative action for the wellbeing of their citizens and residents. We see this as incredibly important all over the world, but especially in a country where public healthcare is inadequate.

While these protocols are necessary and forward-thinking, and will hopefully flatten the curve, there is of course the other side of the story - the economy here relies on tourism. People are terrified, and many have already lost their jobs. There are few systems in place to support NGOs, small businesses, and independent artists to stay afloat in unprecedented times like this. 

Our students' classes are postponed, and Casa Mosqoy is temporarily closed. Our students are at home with their families in their communities. Our staff are working from home with our emergency protocols in place. Our tours, workshops, and field courses are cancelled for the next couple of months. Our weavers are unfortunately without work for the time being, as we cannot access our partnering communities to purchase textiles or facilitate tours.

We are a small, grassroots NGO that just now started to become fiscally sustainable; 2020 was our year! We are needed in this region, and we so hope (and believe) that we will be able to recover from this. 

And we hope you do too, as we know this has had a huge financial impact on many of you as well. Our hearts are with you. 

We have received a few questions about how to support our students, artists, and communities in this time of need. First of all, we thank you for reaching out. And secondly, we would like to emphasize that there is no pressure to do so; please focus on your own health and needs. We are all in this together. If you are in a position to do so, and wish to support us through this tough time, here are a few options:

• Buy our textiles online. We will ship them to you as soon as we are out of quarantine. 
• Become a Mosqoy member. (Or keep your membership, if you already are one!)
• Donate to support our team members' job security. 
• Volunteer remotely from your house, if you're feeling restless and wish to turn your quarantine or social distancing into something a little more meaningful! (Contact volunteer@mosqoy.org)

We know that we are just a small piece of the universal puzzle, as everyone in the world is trying to navigate the complex economic, physical, and emotional effects of this catastrophic pandemic - though, of course, not equally. 

As the earth heals, and as our so-called efficient systems pause, we are forced to reflect, recuperate, and reorder. 

May we all be the kindness, compassion, and beauty that is spontaneously popping up all over the world, rather than the hatred, greed, and fear that is dividing some of us at this time. And may you find a bit of solace in this chaos. We hope its effects will be more temporary than permanent for you and your loved ones. 

Day Two of Cusco's State of Emergency, looking down on the empty Plaza de Armas.  (Photo by Deivis Choque)

With deep gratitude, compassion, and solidarity,
Ashli, on behalf of the entire Mosqoy Board of Directors