Home Volunteer Tasks Travel Peru About Us Contact Us Apply Now Photos

MARCH 2006 NEWSLETTER

What were our volunteers up to this month?

Student hygiene programme implemented
Kindergarten classroom sanded & painted
See-saws and swings galore
Start of Parents Group
Exploring Lake Titicaca
A special celebration on the Inca Trail

A helping hand with hygiene

Written by Jeanette, 61 years old from Australia.

On arriving at Pumamarca school project I was greeted by many jovial children all so very happy to see us. I noticed these children had runny noses, dirty faces and scaly cheeks.

Sadly, most of our students are malnourished and have no personal hygiene.

On speaking with the Founders and Managers of Peru's Challenge the following action plan was put into place:

Teach the students to wash their hands, faces and teeth
Supply toothpaste & toothbrushes to all students
Supply and assist to apply cream to their faces to stop the cracking of their cheeks
Provide the students with fruit and one meal at lunchtime (as most of these students arrive at the school with approx 100grams of corn in a plastic bag for lunch - their only meal for the day); and
Teach the parents to continue with good hygiene practices at home.

We have so much to do as these people live in adobe homes without electricity and work all day on their farms and the children are then left alone during the day. It is a slow process and to achieve our goals will take time.

Kindergarten classroom complete

Our enthusiastic team of volunteers jumped right onto the "finish the pronoei (kindergarten) classroom pronto project".

The tasks to be completed consisted of sanding all four walls and door frames, applying a primer, painting walls and windows frames.

The classroom is now a vibrant room ready for our keen students to learn in an environment that will no doubt continue to inspire them everyday.

As you can imagine paint was not only confined to the classroom after hours of hard work from the team. Weird and wonderful ways to remove paint from clothes and bodies is now sacred knowledge amongst our volunteers.

Playtime just keeps getting better

Construction plays a major part in creating the kind of environment that will inspire and continue to keep our students engaged.

Thanks to Garry, who volunteered with us for three months and his kind donation, we were able to start construction work on the play area.

Before Garry left, he worked hard to get the swing and balancing beam started. This month the dedication shown from Mark and Selvy in having four new see-saws built and installed was a remarkable success achieved in little time.

Like most projects, the communities involvement is so important. Our local boiler maker at Larapa built the framework for our sea-saws and the lads just got in and got the job done.

Our students absolutely love spending time on the sea-saws and swings in their breaks or after school. Considered "hot property" in the school yard, it is surprising to see just how many kids can cram onto the play equipment still full of smiles and lots of giggles.

Now that classes have been going for a month, the volunteers are starting to focus on structuring their lessons in art, sport and English.

Thanks to Paul who volunteered with us in 2005, we have comprehensive lesson plans for each grade. The volunteers are finding these plans very easy to follow and are already seeing results with the kids.

Mark usually takes the physical education lessons and starts the class with a five-minute warm-up jog. Stretching then follows with the kids counting to ten for each stretch in English. Focus is then given to developing coordination and strength. The kids enjoy the relay races with the older grades catching on to the skill quickly while the younger ones have more fun running away with the balls.

The lesson then finishes with the standard game of football or volley ball.

Big attendance for the start of Parents Group

This month our Social Worker started working with the parents of the Pumamarca community. She put up signs all around the community calling for a meeting at the school one Monday afternoon.

We had a record first attendance of 45 mothers and fathers. This is the first time in which we have started classed for parents where we have hade fathers singing up voluntarily.

During the second meeting the community organised a Directive. They voted for the President, Vice President, Secretary and Treasure for the Pumamarca Parents Group which are a mix of mothers and fathers.

The Group also decided on what afternoons they could spare to attend the classes. It was decided to have classes three afternoons a week on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday. The volunteers are going to assist in teaching ceramics, weaving and the making of cards and jewelry.

Our Social Worker is also going to bring in a specialist once a week to teach the families how to breed and sell cuy (guinea pig) which can be sold for up to S/.15.00 per cuy (more than most of these families make in a week).

The aim of the afternoon Parents Group is to get the community together and teach them new skills to develop sustainable businesses for the future which in turn will benefit their kids. With help from our volunteers, our Social Worker will also organise information sessions on family planning, domestic violence, alcoholism etc. and offer assistance in these areas.

All in all it has been a great start for the Parents Group and it shows a real commitment by the Pumamarca community to work with Peru's Challenge on all levels.

The best of Lake Titicaca

Our who stay for two months or more enjoy a great trip to Lake Titicaca. this month we had six volunteers who have listed their nighlights of the four-day trip:

Inca pan-pipes on the bus trip - the sound is amazing
Visiting the floating islands where you can eat the reeds in which the islands are made of and take a boat ride made of the same reed. Making it (just!) to the top of Amantani Island on Lake Titicaca - over 4000 metres above sea level.
Staying overnight with the locals and dressing up in traditional dress to dance the night away. The Labamba the song even made an appearance.
The cultural tour on Taquile Island where it was explained the differences between skirts and hats that signify if women are married or single.
Meet a Danish photographer who had given digital cameras to the locals so they could run their own photo exhibition. Some spectacular shots were on show.

Inca Trail birthday celebration

Many travellers dream of tramping the mysterious Inca Trail. For one of our volunteers, Lauren from the USA, the trail was not only an incredible hike but a celebration of a very special nature - her 23rd birthday.

Deep in the Andes, birthday cakes are hard to come by so special thanks goes to our creative chef, Walter, who whipped up a delicious cake that was totally demolished before 7am.

Here Lauren has given her responses to describe the experience:

Favourite part of the Inca Trail?

The ever dreaded dead woman's pass. I found the climb to be so exhilarating. Hiking up through the cloud forest, the views of the valley, the numbness of my legs, all just fueled me that much more. I also loved the bond that we formed in our group helping each other get to the end.

If there is one thing that you could have brought on the trail, what would it be? My mom and sister. I thought of them the whole way and how much I wished they could have been seeing and experiencing what I was.

Favourite energy snack on the trail?

Definitely the Twix bar I purchased on day three. Wow! Chocolate rocks!

What was the most annoying song you sang on the trail?

Can't buy me love by The Beatles. We had it stuck in our heads for hours!

Thanks to our March volunteers

Jeanette thank you for your month will us and for all your positive ideas and help with the weaving machines.

Thanks to Julie and Lauren for your month with us. It went by so fast but your help with the painting of the sign, hygiene, general construction and assistance with the Parents Group so great.

Sean and Gabby, thanks for all your advice on how to improve our program.

Thank you Garry for extending your volunteer time with us and for all your help during summer school and with the playground.

Thanks also to Kath, one of our current volunteers who helped put this newsletter together.