Sarah Confer has been travelling and volunteering in Peru off and on for the past 6 years. A textile conservator by trade, her passion for textiles extends beyond the storage houses and exhibit halls of museum to include the vibrant living traditions of today. She has travelled extensively throughout Peru, as well as the rest of South America, and is especially familiar with the Cusco and Sacred Valley areas. Through her experience volunteering with other similar NGOs in the area, she comes to Threads already with extensive knowledge of the traditional weaving process, and familiarity with the Quechua lifestyle and customs.
She is excited to work for Threads because she shares their philosophy of sustainable development, and values the effort they make to provide training and a steady market to women in rural highland communities. It's a win-win situation: rural indigenous women are able to earn income from practising their traditional weaving, thus helping to support their families while maintaining their traditional way of life. It's also a win-win for the global community. And Sarah's glad to be a part of it!
When not roaming the Andes, Sarah likes to call Vancouver, British Columbia home.