In the poor district "Cerrito de la Virgen" in the north of Peru, 50 women have joined together to form a self-help group.
Through the association Chasqui e.V., we support the women in developing self-help measures so that their living situation can improve in the long term. No running water, unstable working conditions, inadequate pay, no support from the government and little prospect of an improvement in the situation - these are just some of the challenges the community faces on a daily basis. We would like to make an active contribution to giving these people hope again. Hope for stable and satisfying living conditions for themselves and their descendants.
Through every purchase in our store (10%), as well as through direct donations (100%), you can make an active contribution to this cause.
Here you can learn more about specific goals and our impact so far
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An important goal of the association is to provide a space where women and children feel safe to talk about domestic problems. In addition to two permanently employed psychologists, volunteers who complete their internship semester on site as part of their psychology studies offer their support to the people through personal conversation.
We make it possible to maintain this important offer by covering the monthly travel costs for the volunteers.
In the future, we also plan to offer specific courses over a period of five months, each of which will cost €450. The focus here is on supporting the women in developing more self-confidence, as well as preventing and counteracting domestic violence against women and their children. Furthermore, individual counseling and support is to be offered to the women.
Specific educational measures are in place to increase literacy rates and improve education levels overall. For example, during the school closure due to the pandemic, about 60 children were supported through tutoring and the provision of materials. In addition, courses in learning to knit & crochet have already begun, and local education efforts have begun to advance women's emancipation.
The project envisions that the educational activities already started will remain and be expanded. Since domestic violence is unfortunately not uncommon among families and this is partly reflected in the behavior of the children, there should be more offers on topics such as 'What is violence' & 'Nonviolent communication' (for further measures see psychosocial support). In order to increase the acceptance of the association and the commitment of Chasqui e.V. on the part of the male population, the education and the exchange with the men of the families will also be increasingly pursued.
In the future, the educational program is to be expanded to include an environmental focus.
As soon as the local water supply is secured, the long-term goal is to grow fruit and vegetables for our own consumption in a community garden.
In order to build up a personal relationship with the local people, to get a better overview of the local circumstances and other possible support possibilities, as well as to participate practically in the development measures, we would like to visit the people on site ourselves in the near future.
Of course, we will keep you up to date on our various communication channels.
Despite the precarious situation, the women are full of hope. They show strength, willpower to change things, and they have their own ideas on how to improve their situation, their lives and those of their families. The women from Cerrito de la Virgen are not looking for handouts, they long for concrete help to help themselves. They would like to learn to read & write and participate in courses on communication & education. In addition, they would like to have building material to build the planned Ollas Comunes.
Las Mujeres de Tierras Chimu are highly motivated and want to take their lives and those of their descendants into their own hands. Participation in educational activities allows them to be actively involved in the continuation of their community in Peruvian society (& their local community). The handicraft workshops not only create jobs for the women, but at the same time improve the educational opportunities for their children. In addition, they would like to plant an organic fruit & vegetable garden in the future, so that they can grow healthy ingredients for their meals themselves.
The association Chasqui e.V. supports the projects of the women on site and ensures the concrete implementation of necessary development measures. In addition to the construction of the building for the women, the current focus is on teaching the women to sew and to procure the necessary equipment and accessories so that they can pursue their artistic skills by making so-called artesanías (handicrafts). The local demand for such hand-sewn products is high, which offers the prospect of financial independence for the women.
Through concrete measures like these, lived hope does not remain mere wishful thinking with bold promises. Hope becomes a changing and shaping force for a better life.
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