House Construction for Earthquake Victims and Building Educative Sport Areas for Poor Children Living in Slums

Project location: PERU, Various locations
Project start date: September 2014 - Project end date: December 2014
Project number: 2014-042
Beneficiary: Missioni MVC Onlus

Final Report
June 2014 to November 2014

This year Missioni MVC Onlus has constructed two new structures and restructured a third in a shanty town called Villa Cerrillos, located in the city of Arequipa. The first two, both built for a local school named San Juan Apostol, were a sports field for soccer and basketball and a playground area which includes swings and slides for the younger children. These now benefit the school's 700 students. In addition, Missioni MVC Onlus has worked to fix the facade and surrounding terrain of nearby nursery center that serves for children between 2 to 5 years old. All of this was done in coordination with the Association of Solidarity in Marcha, which has been working in Arequipa since 1985. They received a portion of Missioni MVC Onlus funds in order to procure them the necessary materials.

In the city of Canete, a shantytown of the Las Lomas Cerro Candela region, Missioni MVC Onlus constructed 24 prefabricated houses for 24 local families. These are families who currently live in conditions of extreme poverty, meaning that they are lacking essential services necessary for a life of dignity such as water and sewage. The work was done in collaboration with the Proyectos Peruanos Association and the Huarco Hotel. Part of the funds raised by Missioni MVC were given to the former so as to acquire the materials. Another part went to the latter in order to finance the transport and the care for those involved in the construction.

The construction was done in collaboration with local families. Missioni MVC Onlus formed 12 groups composed of 5 or 6 Italian volunteers; each group was in charge of 2 Peruvian families. Workgroup began by disassembling the previous structures which were usually made of material such as straw that offer very little protection. Then each group flattened the terrain and prepared the house's foundation; the bases Missioni MVC Onlus used elevate the house and help to protect against landslides. The next step involved unloading with the families all of the other pieces for the houses and to being the assembly. Each house is 23 square meters and is divided into three spaces: a shared space, one for the parents, and one for the children. Each house is covered with isolating material, useful in both cold and warm conditions, as well as with sheets of corrugated iron. Once the structure is finished, volunteers proceeded to install the doors, the windows, and the glass, together with some other smaller details. The 24 families that received these structures, many of which helped in the construction process, now live in them as their homes. That said, these 24 houses are, in reality, the first step; currently, 100 more houses are still need for families living in deplorable conditions.

The projects have been completed in the month of November 2014.