Update on Alfredo and His Work

Last Thursday I (Mark) went to Ventanilla again, to be the official photographer for Alfredo's building project, as well as catching up with him, and see how the work is progressing on the school, still due to open in March 2008.

The school as it currently is, in its rudimentary state in Oasis.

In a previous post I mentioned Alfredo was working on 2 projects in similar areas, one called Oasis, and one Nuevo Pachacutec. The 2nd project in Nuevo Pachacutec has been delayed until 2009, as this is overseen by a Baptist Church who feel 2008 is too soon to build a school.

The view of the local community, desperate for a school, from the plot where the school will be.

The work in Nuevo Pachacutec is being supported by a US church, yet is not being built, while Oasis, being supported by a few friends and contacts of Alfredo is progressing.

Alfredo by some of the construction materials for the Oasis school.

This visit opened my eyes in a several ways. It introduced me to the high level of poverty in that particular area and the seemly injust higher costs for building a rudimentary school just because of the remote location of Oasis. It also made me realise how needed this school is, as I found out that most children who can afford to go to school have to travel for up to an hour or more.

Alfredo with his team

While I was there I spent some time speaking to some of Alfredo's co-workers, Carmen (who arrived about 5 months ago from the Provinces to look for work, which she hasn't found yet), and especially Gladys, the (local representative for this area). Gladys was telling me that her husband works from 5am till 9pm 6 days a week and recieves 20 cents (3p) for every crate of bottles he makes up. He works for Kola Real a cheap coke firm, here in Peru. This means he earns 50 soles (£7.50)a day at best, normally less. This is before he pays for his journeys to work and back, and his lunch (which will cost him at least a fifth of his daily salary) This is to support a family of 5, as well as to help their wider family (blood and those in the community).

Gladys with her family and other children she looks after (for free) during the day while their parents are at work

I also saw the real favour Alfredo has in this area, as many people have talked about building a school, but Alfredo is the 1st to actually start this process. This process is a bureacratic nightmare, with hundreds of pages of documents to be present to the authorities, and materials to build the school have to be carried from the nearest road over 100 metres away after they have been bought several miles away and carried in expensive taxis.



My respect for Alfredo continues to increase as he and his family live by faith, as well as praying for the money for this building project. (I don't believe he could have picked a more difficult location in Lima.) He thinks he'll need 5000 soles ( £800 pounds) to build the school, which needs to be found ASAP. This is not including his living costs.