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Project Peru
Country background:
Peru (Quechua: Piruw, Aymara: Piruw), officially the Republic of Peru, is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean. Peruvian territory was home to the Norte Chico civilization, one of the oldest in the world, and to the Inca Empire, the largest state in Pre-Columbian America.
The Spanish Empire conquered the region in the 16th century and established a Viceroyalty, which included most of its South American colonies. After achieving independence in 1821, Peru has undergone periods of political unrest and fiscal crisis as well as periods of stability and economic upswing.
Peru is a representative democratic republic divided into 25 regions. Its geography varies from the arid plains of the Pacific coast to the peaks of the Andes mountains and the tropical forests of the Amazon Basin. It is a developing country with a medium Human Development Index score and a poverty level around 40%. Its main economic activities include agriculture, fishing, mining, and manufacturing of products such as textiles.
The Peruvian population, estimated at 28 million, is multiethnic, including Amerindians, Europeans, Africans and Asians. The main spoken language is Spanish, although a significant number of Peruvians speak Quechua or other native languages. This mixture of cultural traditions has resulted in a wide diversity of expressions in fields such as art, cuisine, literature, and music.
Organization:
Project Peru is a UK-based registered charity which works directly with a project partner in Peru. Its aims are to provide financial and material support, while at the same time encouraging voluntary effort and raising awareness of development issues in a Latin American context.
The Project was founded in 1992 as an Anglo-Peruvian effort to address some of the enduring issues that Peru faces. It focuses on a tangible initiative that has a potential to reflect both the immediate and longer term needs of its beneficiaries. They try to respond to their expressed needs in the light of the social, economic and political climate in Peru.
The focal point of the Project in Peru is at Zapallal, near Lima, where they have established a refuge from poverty and disadvantage. Project Peru provides food, shelter and support for children and families in need. They also distribute a variety of supplies both in the refuge and the interior of Peru.
Aims & Objectives:
The principal aims and objectives of Project Peru are to help relieve poverty and distress in Peru. This is achieved by: Giving shelter, food and protection to individuals in need in the Project Peru refuge in Peru.
Developing plans to construct a building at Zapallal in Lima for use as a multi-dimensional centre, a base in which refuge can be given to displaced and marginalised people and especially women, young children and the elderly, and in which facilities can be offered to improve education, health and nutrition. Sending financial support to Peru, and also material assistance (including clothing, educational materials, toys, tools etc.), for distribution in Peru through the Project's network of contacts in Lima and elsewhere in the country. Raising awareness in the UK about Latin America in general, about Peru in particular, and especially about Project Peru.
Project Overview:
Discovering Latin America supported Project Peru and the refuge in Zapallal-Peru. They were encouraged by the aims of the project and the possibilities that the Project is creating for the children of Zapallal-Peru. The donation was utilized to extend the dormitories to accommodate a larger number of children in the refuge and provide their maintenance.
Event where money was raised:
Fourth DLA Film Festival, we raised £7,200 and welcomed 2800 visitors.