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Pili is an accomplished silversmith from Lima, Peru. She is very passionate about her trade and makes each of her pieces with love and care, ensuring that she has happy customers all over the world. I have known Pili for more than twenty years, but it wasn't until I started working with her several years ago, that I realised what a complete treasure she is. I have seldom known someone who takes so much pride in her work and derives so much joy from it. Pili lives in the south of Lima with her husband, Luis Angel, and their son, Luis Angel (which is great if, like me, you are not very good with names).She likes to design her own pieces, but is always up for a challenge. How about designing a piece for her to make?
As for me, I'm not an accomplished silversmith, although it is my favourite ever thing to do. I work in an office by day, am mother to Charis, wife to Andi and live in a leafy green suburb near-ish to London. But between 1992 and 2004, I lived and worked in Lima, where my friend Ruth and I set up Achkiy, a job creation initiative training women in the shanty towns, prisons and jungle of Peru to make beautiful things, earn a decent wage and gain some dignity in the process. After a 23-year rollercoaster, we had to take the difficult decision to close Achkiy down, although the associated charity (Achkiy Training and Development) continues to provide training opportunities for people involved in like-minded projects. Pili was our chief silversmith and I loved working with her so much that out of the ashes of Achkiy, 'Pili and Me' was born.
