OUR TEAM

Maude Fodor, PachaMama Canada founder.

I traveled for the first time to Peru in 2005 to participate in two international cooperation projects (CRÉDIL and CECI), following studies in international relations and international law. It was there in Peru where I met the knitters of the Arte-Aymara Association, our main partner. The relationship that developed with these women would change my life! The desire of these craftswomen to promote their knitwear on the fair market really resonated with me. My entrepreneurial spirit was awakened and a few months later PachaMama was born.

PachaMama Canada fulfills my passion and my values completely. Before studying international relations, I worked and studied in the dairy and market gardening arenas. Working with alpaca breeders and artisans in Peru’s rural areas rekindled this passion. The majority of our clients are also alpaca breeders and it is always a pleasure to listen to them speak of their herds.

PachaMama is for me the bridge between the alpaca breeders of Peru and those here in Canada. It is through this bridge of transaction that beautiful products transfer the know-how, culture and creativity of Peruvian artisans. The marketing of these products also contributes to the prosperity of alpaca breeding in Canada, and for the well-being and comfort of those who buy them!

Enjoy your visit to our site! -Maude

Nilda Esperanza Benito Mamani, assistant 

Nilda is a multi-talented woman whose assistance is precious indeed at PachaMama. She expertly manages the quality control of our products and helps our artisans to meet the requirements of our customers. Thanks to her creativity, we have a greater variety of styles and models.

Nilda is a native Peruvian and comes from a family of alpaca breeders. Her village is situated in Puno, the primary region for alpaca breeding in Peru. Appreciating the reality of Andean communities, Nilda is proud to support the artisans and alpaca breeders with whom we work.

Nilda is a remarkable humanist. She is devoted to several social causes such as the rights of women and indigenous peoples as well as welcoming newcomers.

Diane Gagnon, Quality and Order Clerk

Here is Diane, an exceptional woman who devoted 50 years of her life to help and support people in need. Social worker by profession, she has worked with abused children, people with loss of autonomy and adults with severe trauma due to road or work accidents.

Now retired, Diane worked at PachaMama Canada doing product management, quality control, preparation of orders and accounting. We would like to thank Diane because, even before being employed by PachaMama Canada, she volunteered for us. Her support since the very beginning of the project contributed greatly to the development of our small business. She was lucky to stay in Peru on two occasions and meet our artisan partners in the Puno region. Now retired, Diane worked at PachaMama Canada doing product management, quality control, preparation of orders and accounting.

You find that she has a family resemblance to Maude? Yes, Diane is Maude’s mother!

Francine Lemire, Quality and Order Clerk

Francine is an energetic woman with whom it is such a joy to work. When Francine is there, fun is on the menu and the laughs are plentiful and loud! Retired from the banking world, she agreed to join our small team to give us a boost in quality control and order preparation. We are lucky to have her with us!