Albina was born in Juliaca, in the Puno province of Perú. She and her family have been working as artisans for more than 40 years. Her uncles, orphaned at age seven, began as a way to provide for themselves. They began by selling alpaca items in their village. As a child, Albina only attended one year of school, and dreamed of owning her own business.
Albina has made and sold over 100 different products. She says that she loves her work, and that she hopes her children will follow in her footsteps. She has provided work for up to 15 people at a time. Currently, she employs four nephews and her three children: Reinaldo (b. 1987), Dina (b. 1984) and Esmeralda (b. 1987).
