Our Founder, Nubia Echevarria, moved to her parent’s native country of Peru after the sudden loss of her father. She felt the need to be close to her roots to grieve the loss of her father. While living in the small Andean town of Huancayo (known as the Artisan capital of Peru), Nubia was inspired by the creative talent of the community, however she saw the poverty that swept this town. The lack of employment & support for this community was the catalyst for The Monkey Project. Nubia saw a need and wanted to provide an opportunity for these marginalized artisans while also, creating fun, meaningful toys for children - this is when the mission came to life!