The Andes region Peru –keep the culture and survive

Life in a rough world - mountainsmore than 4000 meters

Who are we?

Contact:

Stichting Despierta Corazón

Uranusstraat 15

8521 LZ Sint Nicolaasga

Tel: O513-431701

E-mail: bbenecke@go4advice.nl

Board:

Liz Villagomez

Theo Timmermans

Mies Bartholomeus

Bettina Benecke

Latin america - Peru

Puquio

Kaart Peru invullen

Which region we support at the moment?

Departemento Ayachucho Villages:

Urumayo

Negromayo

Puquio

B

Impression of the landscape

The „birth‟ of Despierta Corazón

In my memories I can almost feel the moment when I first got in touch with the most facinating culture - the real indians of my country of birth Peru. I still seethem with their lamas and sheeps, fully packed, arriving in our village. You could hearthem from far away, because the animals were wearing bells around their necks. Whilethey came closer, the sound of the bells became friendly and harmonious. I ran outsideand saw a group of strange and enourmous colorful dressed people.

I asked my father who those people were and he said: „They are coming from the highlands of the Andes – de Punas – about 120 km from here. They walked the whole way with their animals and products to engage countertrade in the lower villagesand cities. They try to change their wool, alpaca meat and dry potatoes (chuño) forwheat, sugar and oil.

“These people survive”my father said. I was so touched by what he said that I made the decision what ever it takes I will do something to help those people. I grew up withthe message “you can always share your bread with your fellow men who are less lucky” and we learned that actions speak louder than words. Now, many yearslater, from the memories and warm feelings for those people in 2010 we founded “Despierta Corazón “.

Muchas gracias amigos,

Liz Villagomez

Environmental circumstances (1)

Highlands 3.500 to 4.500 meter height

Extreme cold even in summer

Small villages with communities of 100 to 200 people

Mostly older people

Young people leave the villages to try to find a better life in

Lima – the capital of Peru

Impression of the villages

Central building of the village

Typical stonehouses in the region

Impression of the villages

Alpaca the only source of income

Typical village in the mountains

Environmental circumstances (2)

3 hours walking distance to the next city where e.g.

medicare is available

Primitive houses – grotty, drafty and always cold

Only source of income – trade of alpaca wool and meat

No public transportation, some viallages don‟t even have a

connection to a road

Lamas = transportation

Environmental circumstances (3)

No schools in the villages and also almost no teachers who

could teach the kids

No medicare

Health issues because of insufficient nutrition

Almost no help from the government

Almost no contact with the outside world

Ageing of the population

Problems (1)

Primary source of income – trade of alpaca wool

Alpaca's are the only animals could live in the highlands

Much lower revenue for the wool in the past years

Intermediates earn a lot with the luxury wool but pay less and

less to the people

In some places the quality of the wool is getting less –

nutrition/grass for the animals has become worse (climate

change)

More animals dying as the result of longer and colder winters

and the inferior nutrition

Problems (2)

Almost no educationNo schools / teachers resulting in a high illiteracy rate

No perspective for young people – trek to Lima without a

chance to get a job or house in this daily growing megacity

Forgotten people – no help of the government

Poverty

No good clothing for the rough environment – kids without

shoes in the freeze

Bad and insufficient nutrition

No medicare

Impression of the personalcircumstances

Impression of the youngest ones

What do we want to achieve?

Approve the source of income:

Helping to set-up small trade companies

Trading the alpaca wool independently

Teach the people in basic economy

Schools for all children

Medicare and better nutrition

Safe the culture and traditions of the region

Stop the trek to the big cities to avoid slums as e.g. in Rio

de Janeiro

Impression of the first steps

Small gifts – big impact

How are we going to do this?

We believe in the „small gifts‟ any of us can effort. With our growing

network of „friends of Despierta Corazón‟ and our helping hands in Peru we

will step by step try to reach our goals.

Al the year through we organize activities to collect money – e.g.

tombola‟s 2x a year, selling peruvian products on local markets, etc.

Organizing events as e.g. “the original latin night” with peruvian food,

salsa music and latin spirit.

Organize travels to Peru with or without guiding!

Want to know more? Want to join us?

Visit our facebook site and become a FRIEND! Hasta luego amigos!