In Uranmarka, we stopped at the World Neighbors office where Angel works and from where he goes out and visits the local projects and gives support to the farmers. He also lives there. He came along with us today to our farm and community visits.
We first stopped at a farm which was on a steep hill. There was corn growing in abundance and also artichokes, which they said were good for the liver. (This coincides with my western herbal training where artichoke is used as a liver supportive herb).
Just beyond these fields were a couple of cows right at the top of the hill and above the garden, but we were met with a sight we had not seen before. There were mounds of cow manure between the cows and the fields below. The farmer told us that he planned it that way so the manure would be easy to spread down over the fields. In fact, he told us that was the sole reason for the cows being there!
This farm also grew potatoes, carrots onions and greens. In addition, they had recently acquired a better cooking stove and oven arrangement. This is critical because most families have stoves that do not have vents and the family is exposed to smoke from these stoves. As a result, respiratory illnesses are common. Improved stoves have vents to the outside (pictured left).The farmer said: “Now my family eats well and is healthier because of the new stove.”
We then stopped at Lucha’s house. Lucha is 20 years old and she really wanted a sewing machine and to have her own business sewing clothes. She has now had her sewing machine for 2 ½ months and she is very proud of it! Her father helped her to get it because he believes in her. He said she is a very hard worker and she had only a hand machine before. Lucha finished high school and then took sewing classes and she has grand ideas for expanding her business – some day she wants to have people working for her and she wants to make all types of clothes.
Felix has cows. He has a Holstein and two Swiss brown cows which, he say, are the better cows. Felix has a milk and cheese production business. At this point he feels he needs more consultant support in order to improve his production. He would also like a Jersey cow. He is a member of a Farmer’s Association for cheese making and he will be taking more training courses on cheese-making. He makes raw milk products which are very healthy because of the intact immune system supporting factors in them.
We then went into the village square and gathered around the steps of the church there. The whole village had turned out to greet us and for a village meeting. We have become accustomed to hearing the same speeches at these gatherings: The villagers are very grateful for the help that World Neighbors has given them, to improve their lives, to help them have healthier families through better nutrition due to crop diversity, family gardens and healthy organic produce, and to help them pull themselves out from under excruciating poverty.
At each of these occasions, we have been asked individually to make a small speech, after the individual officers of the community have made their speeches. I know I feel somewhat 
awkward because I did not have anything to do with their successes, but I am representing World Neighbors just because I am there. After Chris and David (pictured left) gave their speeches and applaud them for all the hard work they have done, I address the women of the villages and tell them how honored I am to be there, to see the results of all the hard work they have done and how special it is to see their beautiful, healthy children.
The women are very shy and all along we have repeatedly been told that we are the first people “from the outside” who have ever visited their village. Usually they refer to themselves as “forgotten” – “No one ever comes out here; we never see anyone from the outside world.”
Julio gave one of his brilliant speeches, managing to weave into it a little lesson for them (after all, he was a university professor). I have come to recognize now, that he always talks about how the work of the women of the village is so important. He very politely but firmly tells the men that they need to take care of and nourish their wives and children. And, he usually manages to bring in some kind of analogy to the Mother Earth and how she needs to be treated well, too.
This reminded me again of the previous evening’s discussion with him; He said that studies have shown that if a non-profit just gives money to a village and to the men in particular, the money invariably is spent on alcohol, prostitutes and gambling. But if the women of a village control the purse strings a very different picture is painted: funds go toward supporting family health and development. But even so, just giving money does not address the psychological and self-esteem needs that people in desperate poverty have (as mentioned in the last article). The World Neighbors model of micro credit and savings and training works very well and is enduring, and we have now seen several examples of this in progress.
After the speeches, the villagers were all told they could come to the steps where we were for group photos. The formerly shy women all said “We want to sit with Sarah” and came rushing over to me. That was a huge tug of the heart. After our “Women’s Group” photos, everyone else joined in and you can see an example of our all inclusive group photo one the left.
The experimental garden helps farmers to determine which seeds they should plant in their particular area in order to get the best yield. They also plant areas with fertilizer (the organic
guano from the seabirds in the islands off Peru) or no fertilizer. So, now you have here, a photo of the experimental garden that might look a little familiar to you if you have been following this blog.Here is the answer to the crop question posed to you in “Up, Up and Away," the answer is quinoa!
Here, you see examples of red and white varieties of quinoa. (Pronounced keen-wa). Quinoa is a nutritious staple grain of Peru which has a good profile of amino acids (protein). It is becoming popular in the United States.
We were not prepared for our next visit: Back to Uranmarka where the World Neighbors office is, but this time, as we arrived, there was an entire village waiting for us, complete with banner, school marching band and a huge cheering section! We drove in and parked at the bottom of a hill and, Julio must have known what was going to happen because out from the back of our van came a World Neighbors banner which was quickly unfurled and we were told to hold the top of it as we marched up the hill to meet the celebration.
A few of the villagers ran down to meet us and adorned us with traditional Pervian garb while others threw flower petals over us. We marched up to meet them and by the time we got to the top of the hill we were exhausted! (The altitude, the blazing sun, the traditional Peruvian garb and the long walk uphill was all a bit challenging). But it was all certainly well worth the effort because once we got there, we were treated to more music by the marching band and loads of applause as if we were the conquering heroes returning home. This was quite surprising and as I mentioned before, we felt we did not deserve any of this personally, but realized that we were there as representatives of World Neighbors.
Speeches were made, the traditional harp came out and dancing was the next order of the day. We heard more heartfelt and touching stories as to how their lives had changed for the better
since they, as a community, had accepted World Neighbors in to assist them. There was a surprising twist to this visit though: Chris, David and I were asked to become the official Godparents to a school there. They had even had an official document drawn up and notarized. Of course, we accepted. In fact, after we finished our celebration at the top of the hill, we all drove over to the school to see it and to experience more harp music and dancing. This school is adjacent to a very old Chancas fortress. Some of the students were dressed as members of the Chancas tribe (pictured left). Remember, they were a fierce tribe who battled with the Incas many times.“A Thousand Hugs”
We were not done for the day! We had one more stop, even though by then the sun was low in the sky. We left our friends in Uranmarca and drove on to Tancayllo. A few more smiles and speeches and that will be it for the day, we thought. But it was not to be so because as we approached, there was yet another unfurled banner and many villagers in traditional costume with flowers and music awaiting our approach!
We were ushered onto a concrete area where the music continued and chairs were put out for us to sit on. The villagers all gathered around us and the children played in the background. The speeches began and this time the head of the community (pictured right) began a little
differently: “A thousand hugs,” he began.This visit quickly became quite emotional as one by one, villagers told us their many stories and of how their association with World Neighbors had drastically changed their lives. This village visit was to become not only one of the most poignant, but also one of the most satisfying because of the synergy of the projects. I shall explain.
We first went to see a carpenter, who used his money to get the tools he needed to be a carpenter. We were shown some of his products and he is very talented. His specialty was making headboards for beds and they are beautiful!
We were then shown a house where the inhabitants were able to add on some rooms. All of the wooden doors were made by the carpenter (here’s where the synergy starts).
But our final visit was to be one of the most memorable and the best illustration of how these projects can really transform an individual life and a community. Let me introduce you to Maxima (pictured left). Maxima is amazing. We were told that she single-handedly convinced the community to let World Neighbors in to assist the community in the first place. Some of the community leaders (men) balked at first but she said “No! This is what we need to do.” She convinced everyone that the project was a good idea. Maxima herself started with a few cows and with the money she earned from her cows, she bought a loom; traditional weaving was something she had always wanted to do. Her wooden loom was made by guess who? The carpenter! (More synergy). She took some training courses on how to weave and she makes beautiful products. But her determination is strong. At one point, she hurt her foot, but was determined not to miss a training class, so she insisted her husband carry her on his shoulders to the class! With the money she got from weaving and from her cows, she then expanded into creating a veterinary supply store and took more trainings into how to use the medicines with the animals.
She then provides the medicines and trains the villagers as to how to use them. In other words, she is the village vet. Her husband also keeps bees and makes wonderful honey. Maxima is a great example of 1) why convincing the women of a community that the projects are a good idea and 2) how grit and determination can expand a small business.
We left Tancayllo in the dark, but we also left a little amazed by what we had seen and experienced that day. Now, having met so many farmers and community members who have become so successful and to see the smiles on their faces, it is hard to believe that they were originally so destitute and seemingly without hope. We drove back to our hotel feeling quite humbled by all that we saw.
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