Thursday 30 November 2006

Name: Casa Del Cargador
Location: Calle Avenida Alta 515 (10 minutes taxi ride from ProPeru office)
Director: Octavio Surco Compana

The Casa Del Cargador (or ‘home of the carrier or loader’) is a Cusco based non-profit NGO that offers refuge, education and other services to migrant workers from rural areas around Cusco. These migrant workers come from the dozens of poor and isolated communities that surround the city to find temporary work, many times as ‘caragadores’ – carriers of loads in local markets and stores etc.

The home provides basic services such as accommodations, meals and hot showers to the carriers, for which they charge a token amount (S/.1.50 or $0.40 for a night’s accommodation and breakfast).

One of their main functions is encouraging the personal development of the ‘cargadores’ by running classes and workshops. They offer basic and intermediate courses in computing, English as foreign language, and some art’s and crafts. They also have agreements with many local high schools, where the ‘caragadores’ can go to further their education (many have only received primary education). They work with everyone who needs their services, young and old, men and women; however the majority of the carriers who attend are young men.

They are very happy to work with ProPeru volunteers, who they feel can bring an entirely different perspective to the daily activities in the home. They are particularly interested in volunteers who have experience or knowledge in computing, micro-business, labour rights, and similar areas. It is important that volunteers bring a certain amount of creativity and independence to this internship, and those that do will be rewarded with a very fulfilling experience in an NGO that fulfils a much needed role in the local community.


PROJECT/INTERNSHIP REPORT

Name: Jacob Marcus Ervin
Project Name/Placement: La Casa del Cargador
Dates of Project Placement: 06/06 – 07/28
Names of Counterparts at the internship: Octavio Yonni Yanqui

Please provide a brief description of what your organization does and what a typical day is like:
La Casa del Cargador is a resource center for migrant workers who move from the country to city looking for work. The house provides beds, meals, and enrichment classes, all at a small cost, in order to improve the lives of the population it serves. Workers must leave the house by 8 o’clock in the morning after breakfast and can return in evening after 6 o’clock to eat dinner and take classes. Women and children are at the house all day taking classes and doing community activities.

Please provide a brief description of your role within the organization and a timeline of your activities there:
I was an assistant computer assembly/software tutor, as well as an English teacher, and website developer. The first two weeks were spent acclimating to the organization and learning how things ran within the organization. After that I would spend two hours each day with the assembly class, one hour teaching English, and approximately one hour developing a web site for the organization.

What aspects of your project did you find especially enjoyable?
I really enjoyed working with cargadores in my English classes and computer classes. The interaction with the director of the house was also very good as he gave me a lot of insight into the problems development work faces in lesser developed countries.

Did you feel involved in your organization and that your presence there was valued?
I definitely think my organization valued my presence. I gained a lot of insight into the problems facing organizations like mine in countries like Peru. ProPeru needs to continue placing volunteers with La Casa del Cargador because it is a well run organization whose staff dearly cares about the population it works with. Through enrichment classes and the like, La Casa is working towards sustainable solutions for poverty, hunger, and homelessness. They also work to target a broad cross-section of the population so that it is not only one segment receiving support. All in all it is a very worthwhile organization whose staff are deeply concerned with the well being of the people they serve.

No comments: