Threads of Hope

The “Threads of Hope” project was directed at women inmates at the Arequipa Women’s Prison, and focused on teaching the manual amigurumi crochet technique.

Its purpose was to provide a tool for personal and professional development to participants, allowing them to discover new skills, strengthen their self-esteem, and find purpose during their time of incarceration.

Learning manual techniques such as amigurumi not only offers a creative and therapeutic activity, but can also become a sustainable source of income after release, contributing significantly to their social and employment reintegration.

Objectives

Main Objective

Develop amigurumi knitting skills in the inmates of the Arequipa Women’s Prison, through practical training and the creation of Christmas nativity figures.

Specific Objectives

1. Teach manual and creative skills to the inmates.
2. Foster teamwork and collaboration among participants.
3. Contribute to social reintegration through learning techniques that can generate income.
4. Provide emotional and psychological support through personalized interviews with psychology interns.

Results

• The inmates learned and mastered the amigurumi technique, demonstrating remarkable manual and creative development.
• Each participant made a complete Christmas nativity set, reflecting high-quality artisan production.
• An increase in self-esteem and confidence was observed among the inmates.
• Psychological interviews provided a safe space for emotional expression, strengthening their psychological well-being.
• The project generated positive expectations about the possibility of generating income after release, fostering hope and motivation toward social reintegration.