Peru – Development of craft activities for women and improvement of the living conditions of the children of isolated Andean communities of the Sacred Valley

Development of craft activities for women and improvement of the living conditions of the children of isolated Andean communities of the Sacred Valley

Number of beneficiaries : 105 children, 15 students, and 35 women

Project duration : 2022/2023, 2 years

Location : Chupani and Chinchero area, Cusco region, Peru

Project financed under a framework agreement by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg

Projet soutenu par

Local partner

Rufada is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing financial, administrative and technological support to the isolated and disadvantaged populations of the Sacred Valley in Urubamba, Peru. Its project focus on respecting the traditional knowledge of communities while developing income-generating activities. Rufada has also been active in child-rearing and good health practices.

Context

Despite vast agricultural areas, Andean rural communities do not have sufficient resources to ensure the well-being of their children. At more than 4000 meters altitude, drought is common and irrigation structures are lacking. Livestock (llamas, alpacas, sheep) are lean and used only to produce wool. Thus, 95% of the inhabitants live below the poverty line and 68% are considered extremely poor. 70% of children suffer from malnutrition and diarrheal diseases, and most of them cannot go to school.

Goals

The aim of the project is to integrate the mothers and children of the isolated Andean communities of the Sacred Valley of Cusco into social development through the improvement of their living conditions through the creation of economic activities in the field of crafts and community tourism, and access to pre-school education.

Activities

• Creation of a federation of weaving associations of the Andean communities, training in the production and sale of Andean crafts, and community rural tourism (3 to 7 workshops per theme for 15 women)
• Construction of 10 weavers houses and 3 tourist bungalows, dissemination of a promotional campaign in the tourist areas
• Training in health, nutrition and family violence prevention for 15 women (3 workshops per theme)
• Construction and equipment of a nursery school for 15 children, recruitment of a teacher and creation of a parents’ association for the management of the school

Beneficiaries

105 children, 15 students and 35 weavers women from Chupani and Chinchero communities

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