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We have 3 projects in Peru, one which we've entirely handed over to local leadership, and two brand new ones : |
Why PERU ?
In October 2014, Susie, our director, was invited by Latin Link to visit a small Peruvian church, Iglesia Bautista Missionera, who wanted help to set up a project for disabled people in their city of Arequipa. She was deeply moved by the large numbers of disabled people she saw begging on the streets of the city, and recognised the potential for setting up a training and employment project for them.
Tried and tested
Susie previously set up a project for people with disabilities in Tanzania, called Neema Crafts, which started with just 3 young deaf men and went on to employ over 120 people with varied disabilities. Our projects overseas are tailored to meet the needs in their local context, but are very much inspired by what we have shown to be possible in a similar developing world context in Tanzania.
As in Tanzania, people with disabilities are amongst the most marginalised, the most vulnerable, and the poorest of the poor in their communities. In April 2015 , Susie returned to Peru with a team of trained volunteers to start a pilot project, training a group of disabled out-workers in high quality bead-work and jewellery; and helping to market their products in Peru and the UK.
The original plan had been to help the church start a social enterprise which would include a shop and a cafe. However, during the 4 years that we worked with them it became apparent that they wanted to focus on the social ministry aspect rather than running a full-scale enterprise. So, we're delighted that they're now using the skills and equipment that we've given them to focus on providing twice-weekly therapeutic crafts workshops for a large group of people with learning disabilities who desperately needed activities to do during the day, many of whom were previously hidden away at home behind closed doors. The project now provides them with regular opportunities to learn new skills in a caring and supportive environment, create beautiful products and sell them as a group, providing income for their families. The project is run by Betsaida Martinez and her team of volunteers, whom we have trained. We are here to support them if ever they need us. This has also freed us up to start two new, much needed projects :
In October 2014, Susie, our director, was invited by Latin Link to visit a small Peruvian church, Iglesia Bautista Missionera, who wanted help to set up a project for disabled people in their city of Arequipa. She was deeply moved by the large numbers of disabled people she saw begging on the streets of the city, and recognised the potential for setting up a training and employment project for them.
Tried and tested
Susie previously set up a project for people with disabilities in Tanzania, called Neema Crafts, which started with just 3 young deaf men and went on to employ over 120 people with varied disabilities. Our projects overseas are tailored to meet the needs in their local context, but are very much inspired by what we have shown to be possible in a similar developing world context in Tanzania.
As in Tanzania, people with disabilities are amongst the most marginalised, the most vulnerable, and the poorest of the poor in their communities. In April 2015 , Susie returned to Peru with a team of trained volunteers to start a pilot project, training a group of disabled out-workers in high quality bead-work and jewellery; and helping to market their products in Peru and the UK.
The original plan had been to help the church start a social enterprise which would include a shop and a cafe. However, during the 4 years that we worked with them it became apparent that they wanted to focus on the social ministry aspect rather than running a full-scale enterprise. So, we're delighted that they're now using the skills and equipment that we've given them to focus on providing twice-weekly therapeutic crafts workshops for a large group of people with learning disabilities who desperately needed activities to do during the day, many of whom were previously hidden away at home behind closed doors. The project now provides them with regular opportunities to learn new skills in a caring and supportive environment, create beautiful products and sell them as a group, providing income for their families. The project is run by Betsaida Martinez and her team of volunteers, whom we have trained. We are here to support them if ever they need us. This has also freed us up to start two new, much needed projects :
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Laura Baxendale, has a degree in textiles & is an experienced jewellery designer-maker
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Laura Baxendale, our dedicated volunteer in Peru, has set up our new office in Arequipa, the HQ for all our activities there.
She's training people with physical disabilities in high-quality jewellery making and textiles. The trainees come to the office each week, receive instruction and materials, plus an opportunity for meeting up with their friends and colleagues. For many of them, it may be the only time they leave the house so this is a vital opportunity for some fun and fellowship. Once Artizan International has completed the process of registering with the government as an official social enterprise (which should be any day now) we'll be able to start paying the participants every week for the work they've done. In the meantime, we're recording everyone's work so that once we're officially able to start paying them, they'll already have built up a nice little windfall to get started with ! New centre with a shop & cafe :
This is still very much part of our plans in Peru, providing more opportunities for differently-able people, for work experience and employment. Once we've completed our legalregistration process, we'll be able to use the funds we had raised for the new building project, to look for a suitable premises for the shop and cafe, with training space too. Watch this space for exciting new developments as they unfold!
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And our other new project in Peru : An in-house therapeutic crafts workshop for men with learning disabilities living in community in Arequipa
The local Anglican church opened this home in December last year, to provide a caring environment for the 19 men with learning disabilities who now live there. Almost all of them had been abandoned on the streets of Lima, the capital, at various stages in their lives and picked up by the police, before being incarcerated in over-crowded conditions. The church opened its doors to provide a spacious, welcoming home for them and we’re delighted to be helping them to set up a paper-making workshop on the roof of their building, to provide therapeutic craft activities for the men to do whenever they want to, whilst at the same time generating an income for themselves.The pictures above show Laura teaching paper-making at the house, on the flat roof of the building. We're helping them to set up a paper-making workshop, to provide therapeutic craft activities for the men to do whenever they want to, whilst at the same time generating an income for themselves. We're grateful for Lydia Trezise, our former Ecuador volunteer, for going out to Peru after returning to the UK, to share her skills and expertise with Laura and the new trainees (pictured above with Laura). What a team!
This website is brand new - to go with our new name - so Susie and team are still updating the infomation here at the mo'. Do check back here over the coming days to see all the news!
This website is brand new - to go with our new name - so Susie and team are still updating the infomation here at the mo'. Do check back here over the coming days to see all the news!