Piura
Care for young and old people
In spite of achieving important economic advances recently, Peru is still a country with a high poverty index and inequality among its citizens. Nearly half of all Peruvians are consideres poor, most of them being indigenous people. In 2002, some motivated Peruvians founded the volunteer relief service "Malteser Peru" in oder to improve the quality of life for many people and to offer them better prospects. The work of the volunteers mainly focus on the support of the most vulnerable people, especially children, women and elderly people. Malteser International supports some of the social programmes of 8 local Malteser groups since the earthquake in 2007.
- Medical care in the center for elderly people in Querecotillo. Photo: Malteser Perú
- In the Malteser soup kitchen in Valle Amauta, run by volunteers, 30 pupils per day get a free lunch. Photo: Malteser Perú
- People living in the Andes in the region of Puno were supported with blankets and warm clothing. Photo: Malteser Perú
After the severe earthquake in August 2007, the volunteers of Malteser Peru and the Peruvian Association started immediate humanitarian assistance in the locations of Chincha Alta and Pisco. In cooperation with local parishes they distributed clothes and food to about 1.500 affected people and offered medical assistance with a team of volunteer doctors.
In the villages of Cedros de Villa and Nuevo Hualcará Malteser Peru started with the reconstruction of prefabricated houses to 60 families, organised soup kitchens and distributed food to the villagers. In August 2008, Malteser inaugurated a dining room for 200 pupils in the monastery of carmelites in Canete. In addition, the monastery received food and kitchen furniture. The improvment of a drainange system and the construction of a social center was also part of the reconstruction programme in Canete.
Since the beginning of 2009, Malteser International focussed on capacity building within Malteser Peru. Meanwhile, several local voluntary groups have social programs under way, particularly to support the most vulnerable population groups. Thus, the Malteser operate a soup kitchen for children in Ate Vitarte, an after-school-care for pupils in Piura, they provide a recreational and counseling programs for senior citizens in Querecotillo and advise women who are victims of domestic violence in Talara.
Since 2008, the President of Malteser Peru, César Márquez, is official Sphere trainer and has already organised numerous courses for volunteers and members of the order in Peru, Mexico and Chile.
- Support of vulnerable groups (especially children and elderly people)
- Reconstruction and improvement of living conditions for the people in Cedros de Villa and Nuevo Hualcara (Canete)
- Preparedness of the population for future disasters
- Distribution of food and non-food relief items (such as blankets) after the earthquake 2007
- Reconstruction of wooden houses for 60 families in Cedros de Villa and Nuevo Hualcará
- Improvement of the drainage system and construction of a canal in Cedros de Villa
- Construction of a dispensary (Virgen de Filermo) in Canete
- Training and education of the population with emphasize on disaster preparedness (first aid trainings, Sphere)
- Implementation of a family center in Talara
- Implementation of a centre for elderly people in Piura
- After-school-care for children in Piura
- Distribution of clothes and blankets in Puno
| Project Data: | |
| Duration: | since August 2007 |
| Financing: | Associations of the Order of Malta, Germany's Relief Coalition (ADH), donations |
| Partner: | Peruvian Association of the Order of Malta, Malteser Peru |
| Contact: | |
| Malteser: | Sonja Greiner |
