MARCH 2008 NEWSLETTEEr
Letter from the President
Great start to the school year at Pumamarca.
 This month, I was back in Australia so I did not get to meet the March volunteer group.
As always when Selvy and I are away from the project we worry as to how our volunteers will go and what work will be achieved.
Thanks to Mark, our Volunteer Manager and Memo, our Manager for "all things needing to be built or fixed", the March group was extremely productive.
Thanks also to Mark for writing up this newsletter which reflects all the work completed over the month.
Back in Australia, I filled in my spare days with meetings, interviews and catch-ups with past volunteers.
Peru's Challenge has a great year ahead with the majority of our volunteer placements already booked up. We are also strengthening some promising relationships with a number of international businesses, grant organisations and travel agencies.
Work will continue on updating our Business Plan and establishing a Sponsorship Plan with the aim of relying less on our volunteer program to financially support the organisation and its development projects and more on outside funding.
Performing stage built in four days by school group from Canada
This month, we welcomed a visit from 12 students from Ucluelet Secondary School from BC, Canada. Correspondence started in August last year when Erin, their group leader found Peru's Challenge on the internet.
Ultimate Tours Peru finalised their two week trip to Peru which included a trip to Machu Picchu and the Amazon Jungle, while also finding four days spare to build the performing stage for the Pumamarca School.
 Before the group arrived, they had fundraised back home to reach the target to build the stage.
When they arrived at the school ready to work, not one complained about working at nearly 4000 m.a.s.l. All day they worked tirelessly to ensure that they got the stage finished in the four days.
On the last day, amongst lots of tears, the group performed to the Pumamarca kids and was thanked in return with performances of songs, poems and dances by the Pumamarca kids.
Performance is so important to any child's development and it is a strong part of the Peruvian education curriculum. The Pumamarca teachers strongly encourage the kids to learn historical and cultural dances, poems and songs. Now the kids have their own professional stage to practice and perform on.
This year we will practice traditional dances and enter the kids into the annual traditional dance competition down in Cuzco. Last year for the first time ever the kids entered and won second prize out of 34 other schools which enter every year. Now that the kids have the stage to practice on, there is no stopping them taking out first prize this year!
A big thanks must also go to Guille for managing the group and project.
Educating the community on the affects of alcoholism
This month Erin, Rebecca and I created a play about alcoholism, which also touched on the issues of hygiene and nutrition, with teeth brushing and banana eating incorporated. The play was performed for the mothers and children at Talleres (afternoon workshop classes).
The play consisted of two men, Sam who was nice and sober and Peter who was a drunk. Both where offered the chance at work by Alvin, but Sam was the only one who managed to get to work on time. Peter missed out on work due to being hung over. All the actors performed well, with people laughing at their antics.
The play was really well received, and facilitated a discussion on the issues raised with many people in the community talking about alcoholism and its effect on work and family.
Sebastian, whose parents are alcoholics, was there and stood up and spoke about respect and how alcoholism can lead to violence. Iris also told the mothers a story about a young couple who died after being in a drink driving accident of their fault.
It was rewarding to see the community responding to the issues raised, and Iris asked us to put on another play dealing with the issues of domestic violence for the following week.
Written by Sally from Australia.
The Vegetable Garden
One Month off due to the wet season saw the March Volunteers faced with the enormous and back-breaking task of weeding the rather large vegetable garden at Pumamarca.
The volunteers attacked the overgrown forest of yellow flowering weeds with force and within the month they had unearthed snow peas and potatoes which the local mums were able to use to cook for the youngsters of the school.
Special thanks to Alvin, Linda, Peter, Hilton and Rebecca.
Workshop nearly complete for community mothers and teenagers
One job that needed to be finished was our new workshop / talleres building.
To the tunes of Frank Sinatra, volunteers headed by Paula, Hilton, Katrina, Rebecca and Erin ensured that all sanding and painting was completed with finesse and care.
 By the end of the month our social worker was impressed with the bright blue and yellow building which will cater for over 150 women and teenagers who participate in talleres.
Haggling for Furniture
With the generous donations of funds from our volunteers, Memo, Mark and the volunteers took the Golden Gismo into town to bargain for some furniture to fit out the talleres building.
Winding our way through the narrow cobbled streets of Cusco we arrived at our destination. With the help of Memo we bargained hard and negotiated our way to a few tables and chairs.
It was an entertaining day out which helped fill the large empty space of the talleres building with much needed furniture.
Irwinconsult supporting Peru's Challenge
Irwinconsult is an engineering firm based in Melbourne, Australia. Last year, its Managing Director, Phil Gardiner visited the Pumamarca School as part of a Peregrine Adventures tour.
During the tour, I explained to him how we are starting to look for support from international businesses. Whether it be by sending skilled volunteers as a work incentive, sponsoring a development project or even organising for staff to donate a small percentage of their monthly salary to support a project.
Phil loved the idea and decided to get it started up at Irwinconsult. I was invited to speak to Irwinconsult staff and clients at their annual cocktail party in Australia in February to explain what Peru's Challenge is trying to achieve.
My presentation was received very well and Irwinconsult confirmed that they would offering two volunteer placements per year - one to an internal staff member and the other to a client staff member. Review the promotion poster.
Applications will be received over the next couple of months and a decision will be made in May.
The first company to support Peru's Challenge in this way is GUIDE, an IT company from Sweden. Every year they send two staff members to volunteer with Peru's Challenge for up to three months. Staff members need to apply for the positions. GUIDE employees are also donating a percentage of their salary to support the construction of a computer centre and the Pumamarca School.
If you think your company would be interested in setting up the same scheme and supporting Peru's Challenge, please send an email to marketing@peruschallenge.com.
Pub Trivia for Peru's Challenge
Working in Pumamarca has been a really fantastic experience so far. From the start, everyone was ready and eager to work hard. Whether it be dirt from weeding, getting spattered in paint, or dazzled in sparkles while teaching art, we were all willing to get our hands dirty.
However, all work and no play can drive a person crazy; so, a great way to unwind and still be supporting Peru’s Challenge is to head into Cuzco for weekly Pub Trivia on Tuesday nights.
Every Tuesday, some of us from the team squash ourselves into a Combi for an always unpredictable ride into town. After a short walk along the beautiful cobble stoned roads of the main square and through one of the many predictable shops, we end up at the Bar.
Although there is not a lot of wiggle room, the bar has a great atmosphere, and there are always interesting people to meet. Every Tuesday, there is a trivia night, and all the proceeds go to Peru’s Challenge.
The questions can be pretty tough and are often pretty out there (or that could just be my excuse for consistently coming in very last place), but a little good-spirited competition is a great way to have fun and get to know your team-mates.
All proceeds raised go towards providing fresh fruit to the Pumamarca kids.
Goodbye to our volunteers leaving us in March
Written personally by Mark.
Heather, thank you for arranging the accounting system for talleres. Iris’s, and not to mention your own, tears at your farewell in talleres is proof of how you have taken the community of Pumamarca into your heart. We look forward to yet another visit in the future.
Thanks Jan and Hilton for your tireless efforts in finishing the talleres building and your expertise in haggling for furniture.
Paula - Memo’s right hand girl. Thank you for directing the painting work and for putting in as many hours as you did.
Thank you Sam for your great well organized English lessons and for connecting with the kids as well as you did.
Tara, Thank you for your hard work during art lessons and for your constant smile.
Thank you Erin for your hard work in the talleres building and sharing one of the scariest cab rides I hope we ever have.
Bec, thank you for your tireless sanding effort in the talleres building and for taking some great sport classes.
Sally, thanks for all your help with working on nutrition with the kids.
Thanks Peter for your great acting as the drunk and for all you help with the sports classes.
To read previous newsletters - click here.
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