SEPTEMBER 2007 NEWSLETTER
Peru's Challenge continues with earthquake relief
It has now been over six weeks since the devastating 8.0 earthquake hit the south coast of Peru. Over 500 people lost their lives on August 15, 2007 and more than 100,000 people are still homeless.
 Although the south coast is not an area that Peru's Challenge works in, we reacted immediately with our August volunteers and have sent down thousands of dollars worth of supplies.
Now it is time to clean up and start re-developing the communities. To send down food and water now is actually hurting the local community which is trying to re-establish local shops and producers.
So the best thing we can do now is to support the re-development of infrastructure. We are currently in contact with local authorities to develop plans for constructing classrooms, shower facilities and toilet blocks within small communities that have been forgotten.
We will be in touch over the next month to detail our plans and provide updates on our progress.
Our world through children's eyes
Jane Gavel and Phil Pittman would like to invite you to the launch of 'Our World Through Children's Eyes' in Australia.
Please click here to review the invitation to the launch on October 24, 2007 at the ABN AMRO Building, Aurora Place, Phillip St, Sydney, Australia.
'Our World Through Children’s Eyes' works at fostering a more sustainable attitude towards our environment as well as building long term relations between communities in Australia and Peru.
At the ground level the program works with children from both countries, bringing them together via presentation of their artwork and personal stories.
The aims of the program are to:
- Support and encourage children’s understanding of each others cultural and physical environment, through the medium of art.
- Educate and encourage children to be actively involved in minimising threats to endangered species and their habitats.
- Celebrate and promote existing community work operated by Australians in Peru.
- Foster future and ongoing cultural exchanges between both countries, beyond the completion of the project.
Our Pumamarca children were involved in this program and their artworks have travelled to Australia.
The exhibition will have seven children's art murals as well as 30 individual artworks from Australia and Peru and a photographic display of the program. The launch will include Peruvian food and entertainment.
If you cannot attend the launch, the exhibition will be on display at the ABN AMRO Building in Sydney for three weeks following the launch.
The exhibition will then become part of a travelling exhibition in both countries as part of the educational program to promote the conservation message to children and their communities.
My thoughts on the program:
For the 130 children attending the Pumamarca School near Cuzco this was such a beneficial exercise. Never had these children worked with paint nor had the opportunity to express themselves through this medium. To watch them be so enthralled in the class and to take in everything the teachers taught them with such dedication was inspirational.
Constantly, when our volunteers now take art lessons, they are being asked if the class can be a painting class. The children are really developing their skills and we are expanding the subject matter to houses, families and free imagination.
We would hope that Phil Pittman and APECO can visit Pumamarca School annually to continue the wonderful start to this project, and witness first-hand the development of the children.
Peru's Challenge is also thrilled that selected artworks will be touring in Australia and that we are starting a cross-cultural conversation through art to children in Australia.
Handing out shoes and blankets to keep out the cold
 Although winter is official over, the freezing temperatures and icy wind ripping through the communities in which we work have not abated.
Our kids and seniors are sick with bronchitis, pneumonia and are dealing with frostbite on their hands and feet. They are walking on frozen ground with either no shoes or just rubber thongs.
Here are a couple of perspectives written by our current volunteers:
Written by Mark from Australia - volunteering for three months.
With a combie van jam-packed with soft blankets, shoes, and volunteers, we headed for Killahuata, a small community on the other side of Pumamarca that generally does not receive visits from the Peru's Challenge team.
 The locals were obviously glad to see us and mobbed our little combie, which had to double as an office from which our local social worker gave blankets and shoes to the families. These gifts were allocated on the basis of whether a family had participated in the weekly Talleres (mothers group) meetings.
Once we handed out all of the blankets and shoes, we were invited to eat with some of the local families who had gathered in one of the small mud-brick houses.
We were treated to cuy (guinea pig) and potatoes dipped in spicy herbs. Since cuy is a source of income for the families, it was a meal reserved for special events.
We left Killahuata that night in awe of the community's extraordinary hospitality.
Written by Zita from Australia - volunteering for one month.
I was made aware of the desperate need for blankets in the villages at the base of the Andes before I came to volunteer this month.
 Peru's Challenge was collecting funds to provide blankets to the ones who were unable to purchase some. The need was desperate as the elderly and very young were dying from the cold.
Without hesitation, I posted a note on the notice board at work and mentioned this to my friends. It was almost overwhelming how generous they all were.
Once folks were aware of the need, no-one hesitated to donate. Fundraising is as simple as telling our friends!
Then to be a part of the process of actually handing out the blankets and shoes was something I will never forget.
Storage cupboards arrive for each classroom
On the 24th of this month, five brand new 1.8 metre, bold blue, steel cupboards arrived at the school at Pumamarca.
Some friends of Peru's Challenge captured the vision of "wanting to make a difference". These friends came from Geelong, Albury, Medonie (Newscastle), Maitland and Wagga Wagga in Australia and together we provided the desperately needed resources.
Before, rats were entering the classroom and eating paper! Materials were always going missing. Now each teacher has their own cupboard to store education and learning materials safely and orderly.
It's so good to see things happen like this and I know there are so many other opportunities in the future for so many more friends to make a difference. Just do it!
Written by DB from Australia. Volunteering for two months.
Thanks also to Co and Paula and the company Result Road from Holland for also supplying funds for these cupboards and educational materials.
From a Doctor's perspective...
 There are many health challenges facing the community of Pumamarca. Poverty, poor access to health care, and hygiene are just a few of an endless list of health problems facing the community.
However, despite these challenges, I am impressed by the strength and integrity of the people. The welcome I have received here has been extremely humbling and I cannot help but smile when all of the children greet me with a hug and call me “doctor amigo.”
I will always remember my first patient here—a gentleman who complained of dizziness while working. Peru's Challenge had been kind enough to donate money so that the man could see local doctors and receive blood tests and CT scans—but unfortunately, the doctors were unable to diagnose the problem and the gentleman continued to have dizziness.
 This problem was of major significance to him and his family because it impacted his ability to work, which in turn affected his family. When I first met him he portrayed himself as a depressed man who was extremely worried about his health.
At first, communication was difficult—not only because of the language barrier, but also because I found that the people here describe their symptoms much differently than people from westernised countries.
For example, the patient described his headache as “water boiling from the top of my head”. I have also had a lady describe sunburn as having "hot chillies on my cheeks".
After spending an hour with him taking a medical history and examining him, I wished I had packed a hospital in my suitcase so I could investigate him further.
My working diagnosis at the time was dehydration, so I asked him to drink lots of water. The patient obeyed my instructions and interestingly enough, over the next few days the gentleman was smiling again and his dizziness was much improved.
The next month will be an interesting one as we have the luxury of two more doctors from New Zealand as part of a Hands Up Holidays group that have chosen to donate their time with us.
Many thanks to Jane and Ginny for your advice, help, and translation, and our social worker for her tireless work and compassion.
Written by Wei-Sen from Australia. Volunteering for six weeks and hopefully returning every year!
Improving health and hygiene one generation at a time
Health and hygiene at the Pumamarca School is very important and if we can teach the children the basics, they can then in turn teach their parents and siblings.
 Each day the children have a school meal, which usually consists of a cup of soup (made in the school kitchen by a local mother), a bread roll, and a piece of fruit.
This is often their only meal of the day and they certainly look forward to it.
Before their meal the students must wash their hands and faces—they love the sensation of soap lather! Once we thoroughly soap their hands, they rinse their hands and soup mug at an outdoor sink.
Then, we caringly dry their hands and faces before we apply a moisturiser to their hands and cheeks, which helps alleviate the effects of the cold, harsh weather conditions.
I have never before seen children with such rough, dry, and chapped skin on their little hands. Faces are dry and scarred and often infection sets in if the skin breaks, causing more scarring on their angelic faces.
 We liberally apply intensive moisturising creams to the exposed areas of the skin and the children love it! Often they will join the end of the line for a second visit just to be pampered by us!
Moisturising creams are very expensive in Peru and hard to get. If you are volunteering with Peru's Challenge, please fill any gaps in your suitcase with as much cream as you can, as it would be much appreciated by the children.
Proper dental hygiene is another thing that the children learn at school. After meal time, all of the children have their own toothbrush and rinsing cup in their classroom and seem to enjoy brushing their teeth.
Tooth decay is very bad here due to poor dental hygiene and a diet that is high in sugars.
Haircuts and shampoo days are also a popular occasion at the outdoor sink—lots of Pumamarca dirt and dust to wash away—but not one case of head lice in sight!
It is wonderful to work with and teach the children the basics of health and hygiene and we can only hope it is the start of a healthier daily routine for them.
They are all just adorable.
Written by Pauline from Australia. Volunteering for one month.
Pumamarca mothers and fathers go back to school
This month, Peru's Challenge is starting a "Back to school" program in conjunction with the local council.
 Five evenings a week, the parents of Pumamarca, Killahuata and Miski-Uno, have been invited to attend classes in reading and writing.
The majority of adults living in rural communities were never given the opportunity to attend school. Therefore, they cannot read or write.
It is never to late to learn and they realise how important it is to be able to sign their name, read and fill out a basic health insurance document or help their kids with their homework.
Attendance levels are high and we hope they continue.
Construction and the septic tank
 One of the priorities for Peru's Challenge is to improve the overall standard of the school facilities.
The job at hand for our month was to continue on with the good work of previous volunteers to complete the building of a toilet and shower block - of course with the help of some local handymen employed by Peru's Challenge.
When we arrived, the toilet block had been actually constructed and our job was to move and break up a substantial pile of rocks which were used to construct the walls of the septic tank, which, by the way, the community had dug out by hand to a depth of five meters.
With that completed, we then dug out and levelled the foundation of the shower block, as well as levelled out a garden bed at the front of the school.
 So with just a few days left in my stay, I'm hoping to see the septic tank fully completed and hooked up to the toilets and that they will be fully operational by the time we leave.
This will be absolutely amazing, because for the first time in Pumamarca history, there will be flushing toilets and it will also be the first time the children would have used one.
Currently, the toilet at the school is an old-fashioned thunder-box (drop toilet) which is absolutely horrendous and which a lot of the children refuse to use and certainly no volunteer would go within five meters of.
Soon, a shower will also be available to the children built next to the toilet block. Although the kids are very excited, I don't think I would be so keen with only icy Andean water on tap so Peru's Challenge will make sure hot water is available.
It is with a great sense of satisfaction that I sign off on this article knowing that our group of volunteers have really made a difference to the children of Pumamarca.
Written by Michael W. from Australia. Volunteering for four weeks.
Helping a Pumamarca family in crisis
Each week we conduct home visits to Pumamarca families. Typically, these families are chosen because they have been (or are) in crisis for any number of reasons—abuse and medical issues are just a few examples. This month we focused on the family of three beloved Pumamarca students—Hernan, Darwin, and Juri—to help them build their new home.
Hernan, Darwin, and Juri's home life has been a difficult one—with no father in the home and an alcoholic mother, the boys are sometimes left to fend for themselves mentally, emotionally, and physically. To compound this issue, the family is about to be evicted from the tiny, single-room adobe hovel that they occupy off of the village's main road.
When Ginny told us about the boys' situation, we immediately wanted to help. Although there are several issues in the family that need to be addressed, the most immediate issue is that of shelter.
The family has another home to which they can move, but it is only a partially constructed adobe house on a plot of land that has not been prepared for the next crop.
With the rainy season fast approaching, it is imperative that this house is completed and the land cleared to ensure that the family has a place to live and a source of food and income.
With Ginny and the Peru's Challenge social worker's help, we devised a plan to help the family complete their home. We set it in motion on September 26th when we arrived at the construction site ready to begin work.
Given the family's situation, we were prepared to be the only ones present working on the house, but we were gratified to find Crecenciana, the boys' mother, and her brother working on the home.
Crecenciana was so overcome by our presence and willingness to help that she greeted the first batch of volunteers with a tear-filled welcome. In all, eleven volunteers were present to help the family lay the adobe bricks that Hernan, the eldest boy, made himself.
That day, we worked until nightfall laying additional rows of bricks to the home and clearing the land of weeds and last season's crop.
Of course, a single-day's work is not enough to deliver this family from their crisis. So, we plan to continue to assist the family until the home is complete and the land sowed.
In addition, our social worker will work with the family on a long-term basis to ensure that the other issues are addressed. Since we started working with the family Crecenciana, the mother, has stopped drinking. She talks about her 'amigos' that she now has with pride.
In time, we look forward to seeing Hernan, Darwin, and Juri in a stable home situation.
Written by Colleen from America. Volunteering for four weeks.
Exhibition day at Pumamarca School
It was the Day of the Student which also happened to coincide with a visit from a Peregrine Adventures travel group of 30 people.
 As it was such a special day for the kids, the Peregrine Adventure passengers brought ham and cheese sandwiches, chocolate milk and lots of fresh fruit. They also gave each Pumamarca student and pair of socks, a doll for the girls and a toy car for the boys. It was like Christmas.
Speeches by the Headmaster and Selvy were given following by a day of games and races. We had a sack race, musical chairs, guess the riddle and much more with prizes for each winner.
The mothers also ran an exhibition of their art and crafts for the Peregrine Adventures group and our current volunteers with nearly US$800 raised - another record.
Look out Machu Picchu, our Pumamarca mums will be heading your way soon!
Written by Claudine from Australia. Volunteering for four weeks.
Writing ourselves out of a job
As part of my two-month placement with Peru's Challenge, I undertook the task of developing a policy and procedures manual for Peru's Challenge.
The purpose of the manual is to provide operational guidance to the staff of Peru's Challenge and ensure the smooth running of the organisation in the absence of staff and commencement of new staff.
The manual is the central place for all necessary information for the running of Peru's Challenge including policies and procedures for the volunteer program, human resources, project management, communication with local and international contacts, marketing and sponsorship aspects of the organisation.
As Peru's Challenge undertakes a wide range of task within a variety of settings, the amount of information to be included in the manual is extensive. Therefore, this is an on-going project and with time and resources permitting, should be completed by the end of 2007.
Written by Lauren from Australia. Volunteering for two months.
Back to business for Peru's Challenge
In amongst the business of a two month volunteer program, the opportunity was taken to work closely with Jane on the Peru's Challenge Business Plan.
The Peru's Challenge organisation is growing and getting more complex. So to move forward more effectively, we spent time reviewing all the positive things that Peru's Challenge has done and is doing. We also looked at the challenges that currently exist and will be faced in the short and medium terms.
The strategies being out in place form the basis of the Peru's Challenge Business Plan. The Plan includes our mission statement and business concept, an overview of the Team at Peru's Challenge, a market summary including details on our competition, our goals and objectives and opportunities and challenges with strategies to develop and combat them, what resources we have and still need, and our new "Policy and Procedures Manual".
The project is on-going but we have set a target completion date of 11 December this year. A very special day!
Written by DB from Australia. Volunteering for two months.
Promotional DVD in the making for Peru’s Challenge
Jody and Mike from Brisbane, Australia, who volunteered with us in August, have kindly donated their talents and time to putting together a promotional DVD for Peru’s Challenge. Hi guys!
What a great way to visually promote all of what is experienced here and to bring back those nostalgic memories cherished by previous volunteers!
Mike and Jody are both well experienced in the advertising industry, Mike works as a senior art director and Jody as a post production producer.
Stemming from such industry involvement, the owner of The Post Lounge, Steve Cooper for whom Jody works for has kindly offered to help create the DVD with the company’s facilities and resources.
In technical terms this will involve editing, grading and on-lining, plus designing and adding in supers/graphics. Thanks Steve and to any others from The Post Lounge team helping out. From all of us here at Peru's Challenge and from the kids of Pumamarca.
Its early days but the promotional DVD will be used as part of the Peru’s Challenge marketing and sponsorship plans, as an online log, a departing gift for volunteers and as a resource for anyone wishing to further promote the good work of Peru’s Challenge. Any takers? Email marketing@peruschallenge.com for a copy.
The filming for the DVD has been a most enjoyable experience for those involved and slightly challenging considering filming has been from a handy cam – yes very handy!
But hey that’s the Peruvian way i.e. making do with what you’ve got and giving it the ‘volunteer spirit’... and well nine times out of ten something seems to come of it!
Mmm I’m picturing a short film taking honours at Tropfest!!! Well you know what I mean! Given a bit of editing i.e. softening out some of the background noise of ‘photo, photo’ and possibly the straightening of a few camera shots!
Picture at times the swarming of five to ten friendly kids with climbing abilities of monkeys hanging off the cameraman when filming or taking shots! Gotta love it though!
So go easy on the critique of the DVD when you are watching it and picture the fun little terrors tree-housing the gringo with the handy cam!
Looking back at the footage, photos and personal vouches from volunteers in August and September you can’t help but think what a wonderful experience and initiative Peru’s Challenge is!
Yes I’m getting nostalgic but with good reason I think!
Hence I believe this promotional DVD will help capture what I and other volunteers have experienced here; as sometimes words cannot fully share or capture those moments.
We hope that the DVD raises the hair on the back of your necks and somewhat wells up those eyes as it has with us!
On a note of warm and tingly feelings I would and I’m sure Mike, Jody, Janie and Selvy would also like to thank the following volunteers for kindly facing that camera and giving their heart felt vouches about their experiences with Peru’s Challenge: Joe, Jerusha, DB, Lauren, Wei-Sen or Dr Wasted, Pauline & Jackie, Mark, Mick, Zita, Colleen, Joel, Alison and Michael.
A big thanks also to Ben Dark from Channel 9 who also has a few words.
Anyways our Tropfest trophy is waiting! We wish you the best in putting the nitty gritty together Jody and Mike, and no pressure! Am sure it will be great no matter what, as the story with it has all the leverage in the world.
Cheers from Mick, the Peru’s Challenge team and volunteers!
Written by Mick from Australia. Volunteering for two months.
Who wants to manage our volunteers in Peru?
Unfortunately at the beginning of 2008, Ginny our AMAZING Volunteer Manager will be heading back to Australia with her husband Felix.
Ginny, we don't want you to leave. I know that all of our volunteers will agree that we will really miss you.
It is not time to say goodbye yet, but it is time for Peru's Challenge to start looking for a new Volunteer Manager.
We are opening up this position to all previous volunteers and others that are interested.
For more information, please read the Volunteer Manager position description.
Thanks to our volunteers leaving us in September...
 Lauren and DB, what can I say to the whizz-bang father/daughter team. The tears at your farewell said it all. Your dedication and love for Peru's Challenge will never be forgotten. Every day you both worked tirelessly at the school with such positive results. You have directly saved Raul's life and will continue to support a number of kids in the future. Your help with me to get everything that is in my head out and on paper was invaluable. Our business plan and Operations Manual are crucial to our future successes. Thank you - I will stop now.
Thank you Colleen for waving the American flag within a swarm of Aussies. Your help with editing our best newsletter yet is very much appreciated as was your time up at the school. I look forward to keeping in contact about getting our name out there in the US and for your return.
 Alison, thanks for your four weeks with us. Your general assistance across all aspects of our program was great. If you intend to come back to teach English let me know and we would be happy to help you get settled.
Claudine, we will definitely see you back at Pumamarca in the future. Thanks for all your help with hygiene and for being so positive and easy-going.
Thanks Mike for your help this month. I appreciate all your construction work and I know that this little place called Pumamarca has left its mark on your heart. We will keep in touch with ways we can work together in the future.
Thanks Zita for joining our program for four weeks. You help before you even arrived with the blankets was very much appreciated by the local communities.
 Jacqui and Pauline, thanks for spending a month with us. It was touch and go for a moment but your dedication shone through. Thanks for all of your help during Talleres with product ideas.
Thanks very much Genelle for all of your logical advice regarding our Micro Finance project and the vegetable garden. We promise to develop these projects over the next couple of months. Blame Mick if the vege garden doesn't eventuate!
Rebecca, thank you for all of your help during the last month, particularly with developing a system for the Talleres exhibition payments. It was a jumbled mess but you successfully organised it to ensure that no mothers were chasing me down the road, dangerously waving their knitting needles.
 Cousin Mick. I have enjoyed every minute catching up with you and reminiscing about home. Thanks for your positive and easy-going attitude over the last couple of months, your excellent art classes and for finishing up the filming for Jody and Mike. I also thought you were a crazy gringo when you chose that first rock to climb for the kids but they relished the challenge.
Thanks to all of our volunteers who contributed articles to this newsletter and a big thanks to Colleen for putting it together.
What a great month!
 
Jane Gavel
President & Co-Founder
Peru's Challenge
To review previous newsletters - click here.
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