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FEBRUARY 2007 NEWSLETTER

 

Peru's Challenge annual overview

During the month of February we close down our volunteer program to allow our staff to rest.

It is the perfect month to stop work as it is also right in the middle of the rainy season so no construction work is possible and the kids are on holidays so we run a free summer school which is managed by the local teachers.

Selvy and I would like to take this opportunity to provide an overview of the last twelve months.

We have been very busy and have achieved a great deal within the Pumamarca community and school.

I have also included our plans for the next three years which will also keep us busy - we are all looking forward to the challenge.

Thanks to all our staff and volunteers for making this last year so successful and I look forward to meeting our 2007 volunteers throughout the year.

Kind regards,

Jane Gavel
President & Co-Founder
Peru's Challenge

Facts and figures from March 2006 - February 2007

 

Our volunteers

Number of volunteers received over the last 12 months - 89

Country of origin:

  • Australia / New Zealand - 55%
  • Europe / United Kingdom - 23%
  • America / Canada - 20%
  • Other - 2%
Average age:
  • 25 years and under: 18%
  • 26 - 40 years: 54%
  • Over 45 years: 28%

Sex of volunteer:

  • Female volunteers - 70%
  • Male volunteers - 30%

Length of placement:

  • Four weeks: 64%
  • Eight weeks: 28%
  • Twelve weeks: 36%

 

Our projects

Pumamarca community and school, Cuzco.

September 2005 February 2007

Construction:

  • One classroom
  • No toilet
  • No kitchen
  • No seating area
  • No play area or equipment

  • No running water
  • No electricity

  • No self-sustaining projects

Construction:

  • Five classrooms.
  • Four flushing toilets with septic tank - construction underway.
  • Fully equipped kitchen with gas cooker and storage.
  • Seating area under shade.
  • Soccer goals, volleyball net and basketball ring, swings, balancing beam, monkey bar , see-saws.
  • Running water with two taps and sink.
  • Electricity installed into all classrooms. Paid for by the Dept. of Education.
  • Current construction of a vegetable garden and greenhouse, beehives and chicken coop.

Education:

  • Eight students attending
  • One teacher
  • No education materials

  • No extra curricular classes

Education:

  • 133 students attending.
  • Six teachers (3 supplied by Peru's Challenge and 3 supplied by the Dept. of Eduation).
  • Satisfactory supply of educational materials.
  • Classes in English, art, sport, dance and theatre.

Health, hygiene & social behaviour:

  • Extremely malnourished

  • Poor dental hygiene
  • Cheek infections
  • Parasite problems
  • Blocked sinuses
  • Vision problems
  • Lack of clothing and shoes
  • Disliked physical contact
  • Lacked energy and spirit

  • Violent and angry

Health, hygiene & social behaviour:

  • Peru's Challenge providing nutritious lunch and fresh fruit every day.
  • Teeth cleaning every day.
  • Face washing and application of sorbeline cream.
  • Quarterly parasite treatments and hand washing.
  • Daily nose-blowing and medication supplied when needed.
  • Vision issues yet to be resolved
  • Clothing given or made when necessary and shoes.
  • Volunteers receive hugs on arrival and departure.
  • Recess and lunch are now a hive of activity and regular physical education classes are popular.
  • Boys wrestle playfully with each other but no outbursts. Occasional discipline needed.

Community assistance:

  • No community centre.
  • No clinical post.



  • Eroded water system and no water reservoirs.
  • Poor animal husbandry.
  • Lack of basic necessities in houses.

  • Domestic violence and alcoholism prevalent.
  • No future business development ideas.

Community assistance:

  • Community centre with six rooms.
  • Room put aside in community centre for a general clinic to be staffed by local volunteer nurses. Peru's Challenge paying for emergency cases treated in Cuzco.
  • New water piping system installed with taps and water reservoirs.
  • Lessons given on drenching cattle, constructing and cleaning pens.
  • Every house visited and plans put in place to assist with kitchen supplies, bedding, chimneys with flus.
  • Social worker involved in urgent cases.
  • Working with local council on future business ideas and setting up a "Small Loans for Community Development" program.

Talleres (adult workshop classes):

  • Talleres non-existent

Talleres (adult workshop classes):

  • 40 serious attendees
  • Range of equipment purchased.
  • Materials supplied by Peru's Challenge - this year the group to purchase with funds raised.
  • Workshop with safe storage areas and display cabinets currently in construction.
  • Regular tour groups visiting to purchase products.
  • Website for online sales currently under development.
  • View to rent shop in Cuzco and to sell products international.

 

Goals for the next 12 - 36 months

Pumamarca School

Construction work to make the school functional:

  • Build a covered eating area.
  • Build and equip a library and computer centre.
  • Build and equip an art and craft room.
  • Build and equip a music room.
  • Build an open stage area for theatre and presentations.
  • Build and equip two additional classrooms.
  • Provide safe drinking water to the school.
  • Develop a vegetable garden to supply the lunchtime meals for the kids.
  • Build a chicken coop to supply eggs for meals for the kids.
  • Build beehives to supply honey to the kids.
  • Construct two new classrooms.
  • Build hot-water showers so the kids are cleaning themselves at least once a week.
Education materials and learning resources:
  • Equip each of the five existing classrooms with materials and learning resources they are lacking.
  • Organise for the Department of Education to provide all teachers salaries and curriculum materials.
Health and hygiene:
  • Continue the teaching of general hygiene to the kids.
  • Continue teeth and face washing to also include daily cream for their faces.
  • Organise more regular specialist visits throughout the year ie. optometrists, dentists, nutritionists and pediatricians.
  • Provide a motorised water pump with filtered piping to transport water from the mountain reservoir to the community.
  • Construct water reservoirs to hold an ample water supply to last through the dry season.

 

Pumamarca Community

Community development:

  • Finish the construction and equip the community workshop.
  • Build and equip a technical education room and provide classes and materials for the teaching of agricultural, mechanical and technical fields.
  • Continue to develop the Talleres Group project and provide education in marketing and finance.
  • Initiate more projects under the Small Loans for Community Development program:
    • Fresh cut flowers.
    • Fruits and cakes.
    • Agricultural and dairy products.
    • Cattle breeding program.
    • Dairy products.
Social assistance and education:
  • Continue to provide afternoon classes in English to teenagers and young adults.
  • Continue to provide information sessions on hygiene, nutrition, pregnancy and family planning.
  • Continue to organise counseling sessions for victims of alcoholism and domestic violence.
  • Continue to run the House Challenge program.

 

To review past newsletters - click here.

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