Machu Picchu, Cusco, Sacred Valley Disaster Relief

$1 million of the $10 million in aid that has arrived in Peru is earmarked for the regions impacted by the various natural disasters that have hit Peru over the past decade. In late September volunteer medical professionals for Puente de VIDA visited Pisco Peru at the Campaña de salud en Centro Poblado El Palto, Pisco providing medical care to 288 impoverished patients.  The medical professionals were accompanied by the VIDA Peru staff that brought tens of thousands of dollars of medical aid by truck.  Puente de VIDA is a mobile healthcare program that makes 24 visits a year to some of Peru’s most remote and underserved communities in the Andes, Amazon and coastal regions to deliver primary care and educational programs.  In addition to the volunteer medical professional, the inaugural class of VIDA Peru’s Medical Student Health Care Initiative managed by San Francisco based physician Michael Halperin visited the site.  The project links medical school students here in the United States and abroad to the Peruvian healthcare system through a two week visit to hospitals and clinics throughout Peru.  The inaugural trip included medical students from Saba University Medical School in the Dutch Caribbean.  The students spent 10 days visiting VIDA program sites and working with health care professionals and documenting the healthcare system in Peru. 

In spite of the tremendous strides Peru has experienced in lifting many people out of poverty, access to quality and affordable healthcare remains a significant challenge, particularly in these remote areas.  As a result, for many of the residents,Puente de VIDA is the only access to healthcare and education.

We are excited to announce that VIDA shipped $1.5 million in aid to our projects in Cuzco Peru in April 2013.  A portion of these donations benefited our new partner clinic in Cuzco called Policlinico Belen, operated my nuns who are caring for single mothers and orphans.  This project is also supported by doctors affiliated with USCF Medical School who visit the site two times a year as well as hundreds of boxes of medical supplies.  VIDA has equipped the clinic with 20 hospital beds, 6 exam tables and other needed equipment and supplies.  VIDA is re-supplying the clinic twice a year.

 In addition VIDA is launching a new initiative that will benefit impoverished individuals who work in the Alpaca industry.  The program is a collaboration between VIDA and alpaca designers KUNA (www.kuna.com.pe) and The Sandra Jordan Collection (www.sandrajordan.com) along with Napa Valley’s first lady of the wine industry Margrit Mondavi.  A fundraising event will be held at the Mondavi Winery in October 2013.

 It is your generous support that makes these projects possible.  VIDA remains a responsible steward of your generosity by shipping $175 of aid for every $1 donated in 2012.   All donations will go to covering the cost of shipments.  Thank you for making our mission possible this year and in the future!