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ABOUT PERU What the Rough Guide says about Peru..... The land of gold and of the sun-worshipping Incas, Peru was sixteenth-century Europe's major source of treasure, and once the home of the largest empire in the world. While the riches of the Incas have since fuelled the European imagination, the country's real appeal lies in the sheer beauty of its various landscapes, the abundance of its wildlife, and the strong and colourful character of the people – newly recovered after a period of political upheaval, from the 1980s until the early 1990s, that was as bloody and unpredictable as any during the country's history. What the Lonely Planet says about Peru..... It's the multicultural layers of great civilisations that make Peru so intriguing. You can wander around colonial cities that have preserved the legacy of the Spanish conquistadors, visit the ancient Inca capital of Cuzco, explore the lost city of Machu Picchu and ponder the enigma of the Nazca Lines. What we say about Peru..... Perú is a country with many traditions, a rich history and many exportable goods which can supply a valuable income for the people. For example, one of the biggest companies in the country is Antamina which extracts 70 000 tons of minerals per day (zink, copper concentrates, etc.) and employs 4 900 people. There are also petrol companies and woodwork exports to China surpass $2 billion usd per year. The World Heritage Committee (UNESCO) has identified the following places in Perú as World Heritage Sites:
Unfortunately, even with all of these advantages, Perú is still a poor country and the majority of the population has very little opportunity to make a better life for themselves. The average salary in the country is s/.442 nuevos soles or $140 us dollars for a 44 hour week - barely enough to survive on. Basic living expenses for an average family (6 people) in Perú for one month are:
TOTAL . . ..........................................s/.610 Obviously, one parent is generally engaged in taking care of the children, this means that there is only one person in the family earning money. Even if both parents are able to work (parents often take their children to work with them) there are other expenses to take into account: clothes, rent (normally between 250 and 500 soles per month) etc. In Peru, parents do not have to pay to send their children to school BUT they do have to buy the children their stationery and text books. It is because of these economic problems that many children do not attend school, in fact, many of the children have to work to supplement the family income. To make matters worse, the figure given above as the average salary is higher than that many people earn. In addition to this, many families have more than 4 children due, at least in part, to poor sex education. Obviously the problems of growing a family on a poor salary are increased the bigger the family is. There are also many families in Perú with one absent parent (due to the macho society, many men have extra marital affairs which result in a child which is subsequently abandoned) and/or one or more alcoholic or unemployed parents. These are the reasons we feel it is important to help children living at the lower end of the economic scale to get a good start in life so they can lift themselves out of poverty and, hopefully, help the next generation to have a better quality of life. To find out more about the projects we are working with in Arequipa, click here.
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The striking and fascinating Machu Picchu, a.k.a. The Lost City of The Incas, is now one of the 7 Wonders of the World. Cusco, where Machu Picchu is situated, is within easy reach of Arequipa - and a great place to go just before or after volunteering. Our volunteers get every weekend off so there is plenty of time to explore the area around Arequipa too. We can help with trip recommendations and tour bookings.
Because a poor economic situation is often accompanied by emotional problems, one of the most important things our volunteers can give is love. Many of the children don't get the opportunity to spend much quality time with adults because their parents are so busy struggling just to keep their children fed and clothed (and those are the children who have parents). The children we work with have a lot of love and hugs to give and relish the time they spend interacting with our volunteers.
The majestic condor, soaring on the updrift from the world's deepest canyon, Colca. Luckily for those who volunteer with us, Arequipa is the starting point for tours to this amazing place, and just to make things even better, part of the price of the tour goes towards our project work if you book through us.
Just walking down the street in Peru is exciting. Vibrant colours, street food smells and the shouts of the combi workers all mingle to create a unique and fascinating experience.
The flag of Peru is quite intricate as flags go. Its main colours are red and white and in the centre there is a crest with pictures of a cornacopia, llama and a tree on it. These represent the three distinct regions of Peru - the Coast, the Mountains and the Jungle.
Emerson was abandoned at birth. He now lives in the orphanage we work with. We hope that he can be placed either back into his own family (if it is deemed safe for him) or with an adoptive family at some point in the future. Right now he is lucky enough to live in a safe, clean place where he is properly fed and cared for. Many children are not so lucky. You can help us to keep Emerson and his "brothers and sisters" safe, warm and well cared for by making a donatation. |
