World Church · November 5, 2026
Inmates in Peru Create Velvet Dolls for Pope Leo XIV
Inmates at the Chorrillos women's prison in Lima are sewing velvet dolls and other items to mark the upcoming visit of Pope Leo XIV to Peru.
Seventy eight inmates are producing dolls, rosaries, mugs, and t-shirts featuring the image of the Pope. This activity is part of the Productive Prisons program, which involves the national prison system and the private sector to promote the social reintegration and rehabilitation of prisoners through work. The work allows the women to earn money to support their families and children while distancing themselves from daily prison life.
Silvia Alayo, the executive secretary of the Commission for Social Action of the Peruvian Conference of Bishops, stated that the Catholic Church supports this state initiative. She noted that the program builds on the experience of production workshops organized by the Church several decades ago, where inmates learned to make clothing, footwear, ceramics, and toys.
According to Alayo, there are nearly 107,000 inmates across 69 prisons in the country. The national overcrowding rate is approximately 154 percent. At the Chorrillos prison, more than 1,500 people were held in two facilities as of February this year, although the original capacity was just over 700 people. Women make up about 5 percent of the total prison population, and most facilities dedicated solely to women are located in Lima.
Alayo explained that drug trafficking is the most common crime for which women are imprisoned, a trend described as the feminization of these crimes. Many women enter this activity due to emotional reasons or because they are the heads of their families.
The Church provides spiritual accompaniment and supports the right to work for those deprived of liberty. Some parishes commission the production of t-shirts, rosaries, and crosses. Church groups also collaborate with the National Penitentiary Institute to connect inmates with entrepreneurs.