Reuters
source: Reuters
Behind the steel bars of Lima’s Chorrillos Women’s Prison, the rhythmic clatter of sewing machines and the snip of scissors mark a rush to meet a deadline.
Inmates of the high-security prison are hand-stitching velvet dolls and stringing together beaded necklaces, all bearing the face of Pope Leo, ahead of his November 6-17 trip to South America. The initiative, part of Peru’s “productive prisons” program, aims to fund the women’s reintegration into society.
“Right now, we are in ‘pope mode’,” said Nanny, an inmate who asked to remain anonymous as she carefully stuffed a doll with cotton. “We found out last year the pope held a Peruvian ID card, so we launched the idea of making a doll for everyone — children and adults alike.”
The pope, born in the US as Robert Prevost, is a naturalized Peruvian who served as a missionary and bishop in the country for decades before Pope Francis brought him to Rome in 2023. He was elected pope in May 2025.
For the women, the work provides a mental escape and a way to support their families from afar. “We lose personal contact with our children, who suffer the most,” Nanny said. “We may not be there in body, but we are there in soul and heart.”
