Momentary Situation and Future

Field Report and Emphases in the Future

Since 18 years the Peru-Aid has experienced Peruvian politics in every possible way. The fourth president is about to be elected these days. There were times when we experienced at the same time an unbelievable inflation with bloody terror by Sendoro Luminoso (Bright Path) in which more than 30.000 people have been killed and also the rebuilding of the airport Javier Chavez in Callao as well as the construction of supermarkets, hotels and casinos after the Western role model. The prices also went after the Western ideal.

At the moment the situation has improved and the country has become more attractive for tourism. The rich people get even richer and for the poor people less or nothing has changed. There has not been a rise in salaries for people of the public service like teachers or policemen for the last seven years. They earn a monthly salary of 200 US-Dollars which is not enough to live or even die. The costs of normal food are almost as high as in Germany, except fruit and vegetables, but meat is definitely more expensive. Even the Christmas bonus has not been paid since 2002. The state is broke.
(Read more about the project CPAL)

To meet with this circumstances Directora Melva Delgado Vera has taken over the coordination and my deputy in Peru for the future time. This has been very important, because a direct person in contact had become necessary. Melva knows Germany, the Peru-Aid and its opportunities well. She is assisted by Profesora Ana Luiz Bravo who especially looks after the school projects in Peru.

We all feel how globalisation changes the world. While I am in Peru this is clearly shown to me. The differences between rich and poor more and more part.

There is almost not such a thing as a middle-class in countries like Peru. Five to ten per cent of the population are rich. They are not interested in the other part of the population and talk about the Barriadas as if they do not belong to Peru. The rest of the population, seen from the material point of view, is poor. To this group belong doctors and very poor people who cannot even afford buying a bus ticket of 20 Centavos to get a meal for free at the soup kitchen.

And at this point the Peru-Aid does step in again to offer help on the one hand to schools and hospitals by donating high-tech equipment and on the other hand by donating normal supplies for survival. Together with the Jesuits who are active in Pamplona soup kitchen were built.
(Read more about the project Pamplona)

The last visits have shown to me more and more clearly how the Peru-Hilfe is still important after 18 years. The Peru-Aid can give lasting help on some sectors.

The Peru-Aid was able to follow the change of time and this confirms our work. The early decision to support smaller projects intensively and effectively was right. We are going to continue working on two different levels: first to bring new technologies into schools and hospitals. With this doctors, teachers and pupils get the equipment for a further education and therefore do not lose contact to the modern times.

Secondly, it is necessary to give hope to the poorest of the poor that they are not forgotten and their children still have the chance for a better life through our help. As in the past our main request will still lie on the aspect of help for self help.
Our request for the future is also to support the exchange of doctors, teachers and engineers and their knowledge. In the case of plastic surgery this has taken place for 100 burned children with the help of Interplast Rhineland for two times and already for the 10th time for 250 children suffering from a heart disease with the help of Prof. Dr. Gerhard Ziemer. Through this native doctors have experienced a solid further education. Therefore the Peru-Aid does only support projects which meet these conditions.

Meanwhile there are almost only orders, dioceses or schools which cooperate with those closely. This all has to be kept in mind and is not always easy to handle, not to mention the differences in language. But as was said before in an earlier documentation to act effectively and rightly is not always easy. But we will keep on working and we want to help to strenghten the consciousness in Germany and in Peru.

This works out even better since the Peru-Aid has become a department of the parish Saint Mary Ascension in Uedelhoven with the help of our priests in the parish community Blankenheim.

For the future it is important for us to encourage young people and people who are interested from all groups of ages for the situation in Peru. But you need to have visited, have experienced, have smelled and have tasted such a country and its people. A journey to Peru could be representative for all countries of Latin America and for the most of the poor countries of the Southern hemisphere. You will find out that it is worthwhile to support othert people. Further encounters which are to remember the World Youth Day 2005 are planned.

Manfred Görgens