"I don't believe in charity: I believe in solidarity. Charity is vertical, so it is humiliating. It goes from top to bottom. Solidarity is horizontal. It respects the other and learns from the other."
Eduardo Galeano - Uruguayan writer.

Inspired by her own experiences of Perú, the PUCHKA itineraries are designed by tapestry weaver and Fair/Ethical Trade advocate Sasha McInnes. Sasha was raised in Perú and as a young woman, learned to spin, dye and weave in a number of textile villages in the Andes. Her focus is on developing itineraries that inspire, educate and communicate the beautiful work of Peruvian textile/folk artists and on opening traditionally closed doors for you to some of the more renowned and highly skilled spinner, dyers, weavers, knitters, braiders, embroiderers and gourd engravers in her beloved Perú. Her travel partner, Giardino Tours handles the finances and organizes all domestic travel. This wonderful travel agency also organizes any extensions tour members may choose to participate in should they wish to extend their stay in Perú.

Since the late 1990's Sasha has been organizing tours to Peru and through PUCHKA and AHUAQ WASI, supporting numerous projects she helped to develop and which sustain a number of small communities in the Andes. Her focus is on collaborating with women, many of whom are single mothers and widows and helping to educate their children. More recently with the significant increase in the cost of food, she is collaborating with a number of Andeans in their quest to become self-sustainable market gardeners and she also faciltates medical asistance and eye checks/glasses and dental work where necessary.