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Hi Everyone,
Today, the Peru team has sent six travelers down to Peru for their first implementation trip. The rest of the Peru team members wishes them a safe journey and travels as they make their way to Shiringamazu for the first time.
Gabe and Sean at the airport
Sana and Sasha at the airport
Iliana and Damien in Peru
On August 22nd, Peru team members Sasha and Sana left New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport on route to the Jorge Chavez International Airport in Lima, Peru. Four Peru team members (Damien, Sean, Iliana and Gabe) departed from the Dulles International Airport in Washington DC for Jorge Chavez International Airport in Lima.
On August 23rd, the team will meet at the Lima airport and board a local flight for the 45-minute trip to Jauja, Peru, population 16,500, located in the Andes Mountains at an elevation of 11,033 feet. From Jauja, the team will make the 75-mile trip by van to San Ramón to meet with our NGO partners Carlos and Meredith Block of Global Reach and to spend the night at a local hotel. San Ramón is city with a population of 30,000 inhabitants located on the eastern slope of the Andes Mountains at an elevation of 2,690 ft. During this first leg of the drive the travelers would have descended 8,343 feet (1.5 miles) in about 2 hours and 45 minutes averaging 27 miles an hour.
On August 24th, from San Ramón, the travelers will continue north for 55-miles to the city of Villa Rica and then another 75-miles, over mostly dirt roads, to the City of Iscozacín where they will be lodging during the project assessment. On this second leg of the journey, from San Ramón to Iscozacín, the team will have traveled 130 miles in about 5½ hours, averaging 24 miles an hour.
Iscozacín is the capital of the District of Palcazú, in which the community if Shiringamazú is located. In Iscozacín, the team will be residing at the Albergue Celestial, a hostel that is a part of a local orphanage. (Little faces are expected and will be encouraged to meet the team members during their stay at the hostel.) While in Iscozacín, the travelers will meet with the Peace Corps volunteers, the local government officials and plan for the following day’s activities in Shiringamazú.
On the fourth day, August 25th, the team will retrace a part of their previous day’s trip on route PA-109 and travel 27 km (17 miles) south to Shiringamazú to meet with the community leaders, the community health board and to begin the assessment of the community’s needs. Shiringamazú is in the district of Palcazú in the province of Oxapampa, in the Pasco Department of Peru. It is located on a Yanesha Reservation and is home for an indigenous population. Shiringamazú has approximately 700 residents and is almost 1,000 feet above sea level. Located in the Central Amazon Jungle, it has a hot and humid climate.
We wish the travelers a safe trip with many memorable experiences during their journey. Please be sure to follow the blog to keep up with the travelers and the progress of our efforts in Shiringamazú, Peru.
You can help us improve the lives of the residents of Shiringamazú and other disadvantaged communities by volunteering your time and talents at EWB-DC or by donating at the link below. Thank you for taking your time to read this and we look forward to seeing you at a meeting or whatever contributions you may give.