Pisco Sin Fronteras

Arriving to a site by local transport.

Two weeks have passed since Matt and I have disjoined, and it has been 4 weeks that I have been volunteering with Pisco Sin Fronteras (click on the title to check out website). Though the weather is sunny only half the time (at best) and the surf is not right here in Pisco, the group here is filled with terrific people doing some amazing work.

In short, a massive earthquake hit the area in August of 2007 and caused immense damage. Like Matt mentioned, not a lot of funding reached Pisco. I heard that a lot of the international aid money went missing (aka was stolen) so funding for reconstruction is very limited and donations are crucial. Because there is such poverty, some of the reconstruction families are forced to do is not sustainable.

PSF is here to help communities and families however we can. We have people come to us to ask for a helping hand, or go wander communities assessing sites that we could do some work on. Most of the work needed is reconstruction, so we do everything from rubble removal and resurfacing to digging trenches and leveling ground to pouring concrete and building and/or moving houses. Also, some people go to play with high energy kids at a Unicef Play Centre. It is run by a lady as a place for children to play safely rather than in the streets or the rubble. Some Saturdays, local English teachers come to practice through conversation.

Brick laying

Andy, Dom, Dae and David moving walls of a modular house.

Putting the modular back-together again.

The turnover of volunteers is pretty freakin fast, but a few long term peeps keep it familiar and somewhat organized. It is a pretty laid back organization and I can honestly say I am not sure when I will leave. All in all, it has been one of the coolest things I have been involved with; great to help this community and great people to be around. Having said that, most of us are native english speakers, so my spanish hasn´t gotten much better, though I can understand most things quite well.

Dom, Andy, Felipe, Jake and Selene enjoying some icecream.

The school-yard hangout area.