May 23rd, 2023
In October 2022, Peru was affected by torrential rains in the north and central regions of the country by cyclone YAKU.
The Camillians mobilized support to the flood-affected populace in the two poor suburbs of Lima - Jicamarca (San Juan de Lurigancho), and Chaclacayo highlands, which are affected by landslides destroying homes and schools, and the northwestern cities of Trujillo and Tumbes.
The project supported 400 families affected by giving them ready-to-eat food Pots: breakfast, lunch and dinner, for a month as they organised themselves and resumed their regular activities.
Already in the most terrible situation of the COVID 19 pandemic, the distribution of the common pots demonstrates generosity and solidarity.
With the help of CADIS International, a total of 428 families have been helped (150 families in Jicamarca, 98 families in Alto Trujillo, 100 families in the Conibo Shipibo Community, 90 families in the AA. HH El Rodeo and Cruz Blanca) making a total of 1,753 individuals benefited.
The Camillians in Peru collaborated with some religious communities who have responded generously and willingly to the requests for help for the victims such as the Sagrados Corazones (Jicamarca), Hijas de la Caridad (Chaclacayo), Reparadoras del Sagrada Corazón (Tumbes) and the religious order (Trujillo).
They encouraged and mobilized the people and institutions, who collaborated in the preparation of the food baskets and transport of food to the areas.
Jicamarca
Is a mountainous farming community in the district of San Antonio de Chaclla, in the province of Huarochirí, in the department of Lima, with an altitude of 3500 metres above sea level. Pedro Vidarte, a priest from the Sacred Heart Congregation and parish priest of the Nuestra Señora de la Paz, coordinated the delivery of food and other supplies to the people affected.
The delivery of the donation to the parish was done on April 5, by Mr. Alberto Mendez, together with some workers of Hogar San Camilo. The total number of people benefited was approximately 500 or 150 families.
Trujillo
Trujillo is one of the twelve cities in the department of La Libertad on the northern coast of Peru. "Trujillo is one of the provinces most affected by Cyclone Yaku. The city was covered with mud due to landslides and totally flooded. Houses were completely destroyed and several streets were impassable due to mud and water".(cf. Infabae.com)
Father Clever Huamán, a Camillian religious and chaplain of the Hospital de Alta Complejidad Virgen de la Puerta, the AA.HH Alto Trujillo was in charge of delivering the common pot in "Semillas del saber." The activity has benefited 98 families, or 365 individuals. The activity was done on 20 April.
Chaclacayo
The district of Chaclacayo is one of the forty-three districts of Lima. The Camillians collaborated with the Daughters of Charity (Vincentians) to help to bring aid to this area. Together with the parish of Our Lady of the Rosary, they had been supporting those affected by the landslides. They focussed on the upper part of Chaclacayo, where the aid had been minimal and an area populated by migrants from the Conibo-Shipibo community. The food baskets were delivered on April 22.
The total number of beneficiaries was 100 families, approximately 420 individuals assisted.
Tumbes
Tumbes is one of the twenty-four departments that, together with the Constitutional Province of Callao, form the Republic of Peru. It is located in the extreme northwest of the country. The cyclone Yaku “wreaked havoc in several cities with heavy rains and overflowing rivers. The intense rains recorded in Tumbes region have left a total of 749 homes and 2,092 people affected". (cf. Diario Gestión)
The Sisters of the Sacred Heart have a community in the city of Tumbes. They organised the food distribution. With the help of volunteers, the bags of food were distributed in two days. The total number of beneficiaries was 90 families or 468 people.
The Camillians of Peru have been grateful for the support of CADIS to the efforts in delivering relief to the affected families from the different parts of the country.
