Peru - Guinea pigs spell independence for women

In a rural village in the Peruvian Andes, very near yet so far from the popular tourist destination of Cuzco, the guinea pig, a rodent native to the region, has become "woman's best friend"–an important means for women to earn money to support their families, as well as to learn how to defend their rights. Pucyura is just 15 km from the famous southern Peruvian city of Cuzco, formerly the capital of the Inca empire and later of the Spanish colonial viceroyalty. In this small town, it is the women who head up the local associations of guinea pig producers. The organisational experience they have gained eventually led to the formation of a women's rights group. Teófila Anchahua, 58, is one of these women. She currently has over 100 guinea pigs housed in a number of sheds, separated according to breed, age and size. "The newborn guinea pigs have to be alone with their mothers, because if you put them with the rest, they won't be able to feed properly. You have to give them a nutritional supplement, not just alfalfa," she explained.