Thursday, January 13, 2011

Mysmallhelp in Peru

2010 Working in partnership with Casa Hogar del Sol, Desana Giving, Odontologos Sin Fronteras, Living Heart and Awamaki

GUINEA PIGS
Following the devastating floods in the sacred valley in January 2010 Mysmallhelp UK decided to put up an emergency appeal to help the flood victims. This appeal resulted in a fundraising campaign raising over 20,000 pounds.
The funds raised by Mysmallhelp initially went to provide emergency food for the flood victims of the Paucarbamba community that had lost their homes in the devastating floods. Food was provided for 150 people on a daily basis over a 10 week period and two temporary food shelters were built for the upper and lower communities. The Paucarbamba community organized themselves into two groups and took it in turns to cook breakfast, lunch and dinner on a communal basis sharing cooking and dining space.
Mysmallhelp also provided donated clothes, blankets and emergency educational materials.
Following the 10 week initial period, it was jointly decided with Casa Hogar del Sol and Desana Giving that a survey should be done in the community to decipher what was the best way to help the community in a long term sustainable way by creating jobs and additional income. The survey resulted in the decision to set up the CUYLANDIA project building a training centre for guinea pig rearing and additional guinea pigs for each family interested in setting up their own guinea pig rearing businesses.
The guinea pig rearing training centre was built in August and the training sessions took place over an 8 week period before the guinea pigs arrived in Paucarbamba!
The families are now rearing guinea pigs in their homes and are receiving supervision from the agronomist employed by Casa Hogar del Sol.

HUAYRONCOYOCPAMPA
Throughout the year Mysmallhelp has arranged for various volunteers to be sent to the Huayroncoyocpampa community to help with the clean up operation, recuperating materials and rebuilding houses.
Mysmallhelp founder, Leander Hollings became the proud “Madrina” of the first rebuilt house.
Mysmallhelp helped to find a teacher and coordinate efforts to set up a knitting cooperative for the homeless women of Huayroncoyocpampa and is currently trying to help find customers for these products in the UK.


VOLUNTEER HOUSE
Mysmallhelp donated funds to set up a volunteer house in Ollantaytambo in partnership with Casa Hogar del Sol. The volunteer house has beds for 9 volunteers and has proven to be able to house up to 30 dentists at any given time!

DENTISTS
A team of dentists organised by Desana Giving came to visit the Paucarbamba community in March 2010. Mysmallhelp helped to coordinate a follow up dental campaign organized in partnership with Odontologos Sin Fronteras.
Volunteer dentists from Peru, Chile, Argentina, Bolivia and Spain treated over 500 patients over a 10 day period during the month of August 2010.
Mysmallhelp helped to fund accommodation and transport for the dental campaign.

INDIVIDUAL EDUCATION AND TRAINING PROJECTS
Mysmallhelp has arranged for education, books and uniforms to be provided to various individuals in the Ollantaytambo region that had previously not been able to attend school.
JEWELLERY TRAINING
Mysmallhelp is working in partnership with the Taller de Pez in Cusco, providing jewellery training and work for an 18 year old disabled girl that had previously been locked away in her house for 18 years. She has now gained confidence and independence as through the friendships she has made over the past 6 months her story has been told on national Peruvian TV and she has received a sports wheel chair from a donor in Spain.

CHOCOLATADAS
During the run up to Christmas Mysmallhelp raised funds for the Christmas chocolatadas and worked in partnership with local NGO´s Living Heart, Casa Hogar del Sol, and Awamaki to deliver hot chocolate, sweet bread and Christmas gifts to over 3000 people.
Mysmallhelp travelled in a decorated mini bus with clowns and volunteers spreading Christmas cheer on Christmas day.

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