At the Cuna Jardin with former prcticum student (2016)and current Board member Brandy Austin Berry and volunteer Marnie. Both were in Arequipa for a few weeks and visited the two agencies that SUPC supports theCuna Jardin and IRID.

Photos from the visit: https://pbase.com/…/2024_03_20_vistiit_cuna_jardin…

We visited IRID twice while in Arequipa, the first time in February – see the previous post – the second time in March with former practicum student and current Board member Brandy Berry and volunteer Marnie.

Photos from the visit with Brandy and Marnie. Work continues on the new building for older residents. Eight years since Brandy did her practicum here, so we had a full tour of the grounds and new buildings so she could see the changes. Both also arranged to volunteer at IRID during their time in Arequipa

Description under each photo.

Standing up for Peruvian Children (SUPC) >> 2024_03_25 Visit IRID with Brandy and Marnie

A recent visit to the Cuna Jardin, a like to photos: https://pbase.com/tracyk/2024_01_24_visit_to_cuna_jardin

Our recent visit to the Cuna Jardin, Corazon de Jesus. It’s summer so there are only about 40 children taking arts classes, including dance, and a math class. More children will be attending starting in March. Becasue of security reasons during a fire or earthquake all the doors need to be changed to open outward rather into a room.

I recently visited IRID, link to photos with cutlines: https://pbase.com/tracyk/2024_02_14_visit_to_irid

There are currently 32 residents, asked to accept more, but don’t have the capacity/capability, lack of staff.There are 70 children enrolled in the school.

Applying to be licensed to accept babies, if approved will receive funding to hire staff.

Also applying to the Ministry of Education for approval for 5 trades training programs: electricity, carpentry, water management, baking and dressmaking – two shifts a day AM & PM, if approved they will receive full funding for the program. The classes will be for both high functioning residents and for non- residents who will come in for the training. The first floor of the new residence building will hold two training rooms and in the middle is a two-story chapel, which divides the upstairs into two resident areas: male and female. Currently,working on finishing rooms and bathrooms for older residents and the trades training rooms. The chapel outside is finished – see photo, but the inside still needs completion. 

Animals – still have rabbits, sheep, alpaca and horse and 5 guard geese, costly to keep larger animals so are planting a huge field with alfalfa for feed.

They didn’t receive the expected Christmas donations – usually enough in-kind and monetary donations to provide non-perishable food for the year.

A translation of the poster about services offered and handicaps residents have:

Services: early intervention, sensory stimulation, psychomotor stimulation, speech therapy, behaviour training, physical therapy, daily life activities, classes (support) for families whose children attend the school and psychologist.

Handicaps: intellectual, autism, motor, deaf/mute, blind and multi-handicapped.

While in Arequipa I was able to visit the Cuna Jardin twice and IRID once. After the covid restrictions both have resumed regular activities. Children are back in person at the Cuna, although numbers are down to 90 compared to the more than 120 pre-pandemic. My first visit was for the Navidad (Christmas) celebration, both Tracy and I gave out donated gifts to the children. (see photos)

https://pbase.com/tracyk/2022_12_22_cuna_visit__christmas_party

I visited again during summer holiday, from January to mid-March, to go over the social economic data on the parents. Although some have improved living conditions, electricity, etc. many still live in extreme poverty, a Mom with one or two children in a single room without amenities, or in a larger home shared with several extended family members also without amenities.

My visit to IRID coincided with the rainy season (see photos) but I was able to tour both the garden, the animals, and the new building for older residents which is still under construction. Work occurs when there are funds for supplies and to pay workers. Because of on-going theft protective bars have been placed on the widow openings of the building. The garden has expanded and there are several animals on site which are being raised for food and a horse for therapeutic riding.

Also, for the first time since the pandemic started, I was able to visit with the children. Currently there are 32 residents at IRID and children who live with their families are once again able to attend school in person.

Dra. Mary Luz is still involved with IRID, hoever her nephew Mauricio now oversees the daily activities of the home.

https://pbase.com/tracyk/2023_03_14_irid_visit

Thank you to all who came out to support our fundraiser Latin Music Night Special thanks to Hitomi and all at the Yardbird Suite who helped make the event happen and to all the volunteers. Thanks as well to those who donated to the silent auction and bought items. And, as always a very grateful thank you to the performers: Jorge Vargas, Los Rebeldes Musicales and Mariachi Mundo with Frank Bessai and also the True North Community Jazz Ensemble with Oscar-Jose Garcia. Without their participation we wouldn’t have been able to have such a successful event.

Photos to the night in the link below:

https://pbase.com/tracyk/2022_11_06_supc_latin_music_night

We’re returning to the Yardbird Suite for our Latin Music Night fundraiser. Come out to hear some great Latin Music and jazz, bid on local and Peruvian items and support the agencies we work with in Arequipa
Doors at 5:30, Music at 6:00 (Please note this is the day we return to Standard time).
Tickets only $25 and include light refreshments, children six to 10 $10 and under six free.
Tickets available with an e-transfer to supcsociety@gmail.com or using the donate button on this website. Hope to see you there.

Thanks to all who came out, bought items from the silent auction and made donations at our dinner, it was a huge success.

Volunteers at the dinner with our cook Carla Tamayo Aragon and her daughter Taty:

https://pbase.com/tracyk/image/173008604

Jorge Vargas, who once again volunteered to perform at the dinner:

https://pbase.com/tracyk/image/173008603

We visited the Cuna Jardin, Corazon de Jesus and got an update from the Director. Since the start of Covid restrictions, there haven’t been any children at the Centre, but they’ve been able to construct additional buildings. A second, pre-fab, room was built for the two year olds to enable social distancing required by the Government. As well, a larger mult-purpose room has been completed, initially it was intended as a space for homework club for older children, library and a dining area. However, for now it will just be used as a dining area until the other activities can be resumed.

The intention is to have children return in March, the end of summer holidays, before Covid there were approximately 150 children at the Cuna Jardin. However, because of Government restrictions there will only be 70 this year. There is hope to be able to continue internet classes with some of the children who won’t be able to come in person. 

So far, the number of cases of the Omicron variant has been limited with authorities hoping to limit the spread through a widespread vaccination effort. However, both the rate of poverty, now at 27% and the rate of anaemia, especially amongst children has increased in the past two years.

Photos from the visit, with descriptions here:

https://pbase.com/tracyk/2022_02_16_visit_to_cuna_jardin