Barrie high school students fundraising for PaM

On October 8th, 2009, PaM directors traveled to Barrie, Ontario to make presentations in four classes at Bear Creek Secondary School, to talk about the work PaM does in Peru and help the students develop fundraising activities as a project for their Community Involvement Program requirements. Students from the civics department were given a slideshow presentation and talk, outlining the plight of school children in this poor and remote region of northern Peru, and about the history of PaM's activities in support of education in and around Mancora.

The students will put together their own small fundraising projects over the course of this school term, and the money raised will go to support young Peruvians their own age. The project will culminate in a video-conference between the high-school students in both countries, allowing them to meet and speak to each other and foster a cultural exchange.

PaM directors have put together a presentation package that fits in well with many aspects of the Ontario high-school curriculum, including civics, history, geography, world issues and environmental science, and which can be tailored to meet individual class and topical needs. The program creates a unique opportunity for students to become directly involved in working with and assisting youth their own age in a developing country. For more information, please contact Josh Hehner (josh@paraelmundo.org) or Sean Jacquemain (sean@paraelmundo.org).

Please Donate: 9 year-old requires jaw surgery

Our partner charity, Para el Mundo (PaM), is scrambling to raise $2500 USD to provide emergency dental surgery for 9 year-old Daniel Castillo of Máncora, a small fishing town on the northern coast of Peru. Daniel is suffering from a painful cyst in his right maxilla; this progressed from an abscess that has gone untreated due to the family’s inability to pay for proper care. The bone is now involved, and the cyst is putting pressure on the adjacent teeth, causing him extreme discomfort. Daniel is well known and loved by PaM's Peruvian and Canadian staff and the international volunteers who have worked in Máncora. His Parents are both teachers raising him and his 3 siblings. Daniel’s father, Lucho, frequently has to make the overnight bus journey to the capital Lima where teaching work is available, and his mother Fanny struggles to make ends meet, working as a seamstress and craftswoman and making cakes and desserts for the tourist industry, while raising the children practically on her own.

Despite increasing tourism in Peru, most Peruvians live in extreme poverty, particularly on the northern coast, where a once thriving fishing industry has all but collapsed. Medical care is expensive and difficult to access, dental care even more so, and there is no publicly-funded health or dental care available for Daniel. Josh Hehner, PaM's Director for Community Medicine Programs says, "Only the richest have insurance, and so if we can’t raise the money to help, Daniel will have to live in extreme pain and discomfort and put his health at risk, or the family will have to take extreme measures to find the funds. We don’t even want to think about what this might mean, because they don’t own any property, have few possessions, and the family already lives in a very cramped space."

PaM is urgently requesting all sympathetic acquaintances, those in the dental profession, and past volunteers who have been touched by the kind spirit and community involvement of the Castillo family, to please give what they can to pay for Daniel’s care. Even the smallest amount is helpful.

Para el Mundo is a registered charity in Canada, the U.S.A and Peru. Their community liaison staff will make sure that 100% of any donation goes directly to Daniel’s dental and medical treatment. Ways to donate can be found here on the PaM website. They will then transfer the money to the staff in Peru who will oversee the disbursement. If you provide a mailing address and name when you donate, they will send you a tax-deductable receipt for your donation.

Danielle Lafond, one of PaM's Directors and a founder, adds,"PaM exists to help the community, but also to alleviate suffering in individuals. This child, Daniel, is very close to our hearts, and needs our help."

The Kitten

One of the memorable experiences I had in Mancora, was finding a kitten on the front porch of the volunteer house. She was the smallest kitten I've ever seen and she was lying on her side, barely moving. I got some milk and she was able to suck it out of my hand, which instantly revived her. She ate a lot and then took a nap on my lap. I sat with her for hours, feeding her and letting her sleep next to me.

The two cats, Toffee and Fat Eddy, that live in the volunteer house now were rescued from a dumpster and PaM has the reputation of saving animals. I guess someone left this tiny kitten, hoping we could help.

I was leaving in less then a week and knew I had to find him a home. I enlisted the help of Gaby, the wonderful volunteer coordinator that will help you even when she doesn't have the time. Basically we were trying to find a home for a baby that needs to be fed every two hours, kept warm (not hard in Mancora), and stimulated to go to the bathroom. Amazingly, one of the volunteers Caitlin, with the support of her parents Michelle and Maggie, agreed to take on the kitten. I was so relieved and grateful I almost cried.

So many animals in Mancora need help and don't get it. I was happy to play a small role in this one cats life, but also sad to know that I couldn't do more for so many other animals. I dream of a veterinarian volunteering in Mancora and I would love to return and start a community run animal rescue.

PaM/Voluntraveler House in Mancora Peru

This is a video slideshow of the accommodation used by our volunteers in Mancora Peru. 

Learning To Surf In Mancora

Learning to surf in Mancora is an experience I will never forget. Why was this experience so memorable? First, it was wicked awesome fun; Second, I actually stood up on the board a bunch of times during my first lesson - this made me proud as punch; Third, let’s face it, people think you’re cool if you know how to surf.

My first attempt at surfing happened about one week after my arrival in Mancora. By that time I had been to the beach several times and had caught a couple of amazing waves on the boogey board. The thrill of catching those waves made me greedy for an authentic surfing experience. Give me that long board baby!

This authentic surfing experience came to fruition when my friends recommended Robbie, a local teacher and also a world-class ranked surfer. Robbie speaks both Spanish and English (which was good for me because my Spanish was not great at the time). What impressed me most about Robbie was his professionalism and easygoing personality. He’s super nice and really encouraging as a teacher. ‘Safety first’ was really emphasized during the lesson as well. For example, Robbie made sure I started out on the sandy area of the beach and not near the rocky break so I was not at risk of getting a ‘tummy scratcher’. With Robbie’s super easygoing style and mad skills as a surfer, I was up on that board in no time.

So there I was on a sunny Saturday morning at Mancora Beach with a white and pink long board, a borrowed surf shirt, and Robbie at my side. My first victory was learning the ‘pop up’ on the beach. My ultimate victory, however, was accomplishing that ‘pop up’ while catching a wave. The thrill of catching a wave was addictive. After that moment, I couldn’t get enough and I surfed almost every weekend.

Luckily my friend was there to snap a few pictures of my first lesson. (Note the giant grin.) That smile didn’t go away for hours and hours. I was so thrilled about my gnarly new skill that I recommended Robbie to every volunteer I met. It’s great way to experience what Mancora is famous for – a killer off-the-beaten-path surf spot. If there could be a star rating system to surf lessons, I would give lessons in Mancora a 5 out of 5. Hands Down!

Just remember to re-apply that sunscreen and you’ll be set for days and days of Mancora beach bliss on your board.

Mancora the Movie

An adventure drama that tells the story of Santiago, a 22-year old from Lima. Following his father's suicide , haunted by inner daemons and hatred for the world in general, Santiago decides to escape the crude Lima winter to take refuge in Mancora.

It will be interesting to see what effect, if any, this film will have on the tourist industry in Mancora.