Living in Peru : your everyday companion

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By Andrew Dare

CUSCO—Eighteen days after the severe floods in the Cusco region I went back for another visit to Lucre.
 
The river was back to just being a small stream, but there was not else much changed. There was still a lot of debris everywhere, collapsed houses and the air was filled with dust.

But there were more tents in the area and in the central plaza there was a volunteer youth group from Lima handing out clothes, blankets and aid. I went back to the once-pretty high street and the semi collapsed houses were still there, nobody daring to enter them for fear of collapse.



Access had been made in the road, but that meant that the mud had simply been shoveled to one side, next to the destroyed houses. Everyone said good afternoon to me almost as if nothing had happened.

The truth though, is that Lucre and the other affected villages are in a terrible state. Aid is arriving but its being spread pretty thin as there are so many other villages with similar problems throughout the region.

There are many people living in tents, with little food and clothes, but the big problem is that crops have been ruined just before harvest. Thus the villagers have no income, and no food, and this is going to affect them for at least the next year, possible more if the ground does not recover.

An elementary school in Lucre
After I wrote about the floods in Cusco for the BBC news website, I received many emails, but one stood out as remarkable.

Julia, a teacher at Churston Ferrers Grammar school in the UK, wrote to say that five years ago they twinned with the school in the village of Lucre and was interested to know more about the conditions.

On my recent visit to Lucre I searched out the head teacher, Manuela Vera Zela, and we spoke about the problems, needs and links with the schools.

The biggest problem is clothes, as most of the houses collapsed so fast they had no time to rescue any of their possessions. Basic needs in the school are books and pencils. The families have to buy these, but with no income from the crops this year they will not be able to afford anything.
Manuela also suggested that clothes for adults too would be good, as the nights are starting to get colder.

Tents are still in need. The school in Lucre is shut for the summer vacation, which helps out, as there are currently 30 families living in the school buildings. But in six weeks the kids will be back to school, forcing the families out to look for alternative shelter.

The bigger picture
There are an estimated 30 to 40 thousand people throughout Peru affected by floods following abnormal bouts of rain (other states with flooding include Puno and Huánuco). The longer lasting effect is the failure of crops: This could be felt for a long time to come.

Alan Garcia, Peru’s president, decided to donate 10 million dollars to the Haiti aid fund to improve the life for kids and improve water distribution. Clearly Haiti needs help, but you would have thought that even after declaring the region in a state of emergency that Peru would have helped his own people first.

tags : Huacarpay Lucre floods Cusco emergency help

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7 Comments

# Ralph says :
11 February, 2010 [ 01:21 ]

Hi Andrew,

Do you know anything about a house for street children in Lucre that is run by Foundation Colibri from Cusco? We have send volunteers there years ago. I wonder if the house and the children are allright...

Best wishes,

Ralph

# brien foerster says :
11 February, 2010 [ 07:20 ]

It is pathetic that the Garcia government doesn't take care of its own people, especially in times of catastrophic events. $10,000,000 for Haiti???? Please!

Any sensible government takes care of its own people first.

Foreign aid tends to be money that a country can afford to spend after its domestic responsibilities are taken care of.

# Anne Greis Østergaard says :
12 February, 2010 [ 03:50 ]

Hi,

I´m coming to cusco by April 1st - is there anything clothes, pencils or else that I could bring and deliver somewhere?

kind regards
Anne

# Andrew Dare says :
16 February, 2010 [ 07:58 ]

HI Anne, 

The head teacher said important things were Kids clothes, pens, coloured pencils & pens & books were in demand right now.

Also they would be easy to buy in Lima, or here, saving you the weight & space.

The families have to buy these & with no income from the failed crops this will last a long time for the families here.

Thanks for your offer, 

They will welcome your help with huge smiles!

Andy

# says :
2 March, 2010 [ 04:11 ]

Hello Andrew,

 Although I travel yearly to the sacred valley, I don't remember where is Lucre in reference of Cusco. 

 I'm traveling to Cusco the first week of april and also been trying to think the best way I could help. We have been providing opportunities for the children in Urubamba and Ccotohuincho for the last eight years through children's festivals(festinino), and after school programs. 

Your suggestions of children's school's needs re emphasizes what I had in mind,
 possible a 'school supply bank' ? 

Greatly appeciated update

Pepe


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# John Kissh says :
6 March, 2010 [ 06:19 ]

I am interested in delivering school supplies, etc to Lucre also.  We are coming to Cusco and Macchu Pichu in mid-May.  Buying items in Cusco is a great idea but then what?   Pepe mentioned helping a school in Urubamba.  We're going right by there.  Is there something we can do for that school/community?  Any suggestions as to how we can actually distribute/deliver these items would be appreciated. 

# Pepe says :
9 March, 2010 [ 12:30 ]

Hello John,

I'll be staying in the sacrad valley area for around five weeks untill mid may as well with the intention to continue with our on going after school programs in the poor neighborhood of Ccotohuincho (outside of the town of Urubamba). During these weeks I'll be assessing  the damage caused by the floods in order to prepare a plan for long term help to the most needed children in the sacred valley.

  If you'd like to be updated, please let me know. Perhaps you may consider this new inf. as to the distribution/delivery of the items you bring. It sounds like the school in Lucre is in desperate need of those supplyes.

Thanks for your kindness for the less fortunate

Pepe


PS. for additional inf. you may become a friend of ' tree of learning' on Facebook  

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