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JULY NEWSLETTER

Highlights of the month included:

Handing out clothes to kids during winter
Paucartambo Festival and the three suns above Amazon Jungle
Seeing the kids perform at the kindy parade
Mothers Group BBQ fundraiser
Farewell to two employees
Welcome to Mr Dinky

Keeping warm this winter

During the middle of winter throughout the Andes mountains, temperatures drop to well below freezing, particularly in the Huandar community. Wind whistles through adobe brick houses and with little more than a small blanket, the family suffers greatly.

In the Huandar community, the kids were wearing just thin trousers, a t-shirt full of holes and no socks, underpants, beanies or gloves.

One Saturday early in the month, the Peru's Challenge volunteers organised to distribute extra clothes to keep the kids warm. Word spread as the volunteers arrived and more than 100 kids waited patiently to receive their share.

After a few hours of trying on and fashion parades, each kid received an outfit that they were comfortable and warm in.

The community was so grateful for the visit that they cooked a typical Peruvian lunch to thank each of the volunteers.

Three sunrises on the same morning and other trips

Paucartambo - Volunteers headed off on a three hour combi ride to dance in the streets with the locals who were celebrating the fiesta for the Virgen Del Carmen. For four days, the small town of Paucartambo and its streets are transformed into circus of costumes, masks, parades and of course lots of cervezas (beer)!

Tres Cruces - Leaving Paucartambo in the early hours, the volunteers headed a further two hours in the combi to a place where the Andes mountains meet the Amazon Jungle. Here at Tres Cruces visitors have the chance to see the famous eclipse when the sun appears to rise three times over the Jungle. By the time the sun began to show, the volunteers sleeping bags were covered in a thin layer of ice, but it was worth braving the early morning when they were lucky enough to see the three suns.

Sacred Valley - From the words of Sharna (one of our condor volunteers) "The Sacred Valley was magical, the scene set more so with soft rain. Julio was a fantastic guide showing us around old Inca sites in Chincero, Ollantaytambo and Pisaq. This is a beautiful part of the world. The trip was topped off with Ulrike's Cafe and her famous cheesecake, a hot bath at the hotel in Pisaq and being able to spend up a storm at the Pisaq market."

Lake Titicaca - The trip to Lake Titicaca (included in our Puma package) brings many different experiences from floating reed islands to turquoise coloured water. One of the highlights is definately the overnight home stay on the island of Amantani where volunteers get to experience what it is like living on the highest navigatable lake in the world. The local families dress up their guests in traditional dress and organise a fiesta where they sit back and laugh at the volunteers trying to dance. The enitre trip is an eye opening experience and encapsulates the enormous diversity of Peru.

Left, right, left ...

Each year kids from all the kindergarten classes in Cusco, march through the cobbled streets of Cusco.

The Picol kids practiced hard for weeks before the big day and did their comunity proud. They even had uniforms made for the special occasion.

Thanks to our volunteers who helped during the march.

Fun at the Fundraiser

The afternoon mothers group has developed so much this year that they have now set up their own association and directive team.

They are always thinking of new ideas to help raise money and are aiming to give each of the 64 mothers a Christmas hamper full of goodies to celebrate their achievements.

Their fundraiser idea for this month was to display their hand-made products, while hosting a Peruvian style BBQ. Volunteers emptied their pockets at the stall buying ponchos, scarves, ceramics, jewellry and much much more. They also ran a Tombola (similar to lucky dip) so volunteers paid for tickets and gave their prizes to the kids.

The day finished off with a soccer match between the undefeated locals and the volunteers. The volunteers played fiercely but being unaccustomed to the thin air they graciously lost 6-2. However, we must mention the great goal scored by Matt!

Goodbye and good luck

This month we say goodbye to two of our valued staff members - Felix and Karen.

Karen volunteered with Peru's Challenge from January 2005 with the intention of working full-time with us after three months. In March, Karen became the Volunteer Manager and organised everything that needed to be done for the volunteers. They are really going to miss Karen, especially her infectious laugh.

Felix joined Peru's Challenge when we first started. He helped us in every single way and we are really going to miss him. Not only was he a fantastic friend to each and every one of our volunteers, he was also deeply respected within the local communities.

Good luck to both Karen and Felix for the future and we wish you well.

Goodbyes to the July group

It was finally time to say goodbye to Rhiannon. A three-month stay that ended up being six! Thanks for all your help.

Sue and Jean, we thank you for your hygiene work with the Picol kids, which was then continued on by Bernice and Mary. Thanks for your great sense of humour.

We thank Elizabeth for her fantastic research and follow-up in regards to the health system in Peru. We look forward to seeing you back here in the future.

Matt we thank you for time with us and we need someone like you on every Inca Trail to get the girls past that second day!

Thanks for returning to visit, Yolanda and good luck with everything back home.

Teisha, your time with us was also extended and we thank you for all the work you did with Captain Fuerte and for helping Luc Clarita settle-in to her new school.

And my sister Sars and her boyfriend Tooly who stayed with us for four months. Thanks for all your help in the office and enjoy the rest of your trip.