Mayu believes in empowering individuals so they can help themselves. We do this by providing our artisans with small-business education and a  market to sell their alpaca accessories. Our organization simply would not function if both sides were not benefiting from our transactions. Another development-based firm that shares this philosophy is I-Dev International, an organization that is working in Peru (and has seen lots of success!).

“At I-DEV, we aim to achieve True Sustainability, in which “underserved” populations have adequate resources at their disposal, and are empowered to effectively use those resources to permanently improve the standard of living for their families, their communities , and their country.”
-Jason Spindler, Managing Director

I met the founder of I-Dev, Jason Spindler, while in the Peace Corps.  He was high in the mountains of Cajamarca, Peru — about twenty hours from where I was working with Mayu’s artisans in Ancash. Us Peace Corps volunteers just can’t get enough of Peru! We share our education with those with whom we work in Peru and are excited to be instrumental in the growth of Peruvian farmers and artisans. Check out I-Dev and you can even volunteer with them. It will be an unbelievable experience, I promise. I-Dev has just started a project related to Fair Trade in Peru and Mayu can’t wait to learn more about it.

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