Fresh Milk for a Peruvian Village

The village of Nueva Esperanza, which means New Hope, was born of shattered dreams and lives just two years ago in the days following the devastating 8.0 earthquake near Ica, Peru. Survivors, fleeing the rubble of homes and possessions in nearby cities and villages, found refuge in the sun-parched dunes of Peru’s desert. Within a year, aided by international groups such as Rotary, Red Cross, and World Vision, the residents elected a governing group and set to work planning and constructing an orderly village which now is home to about 450 families. Plus these can-do people built an outdoor community center and even a small park that is devoid of grass and trees but shows pride and thoughtful planning and enables Nueva Esperanza’s 500 children to play soccer and other outdoor activities.

Soon, the promise of fresh milk for those children will become a reality. After 12 days spent constructing tiny homes for earthquake survivors and traveling the Macchu Picchu region with 10 Rotary Club of Folsom members, Al Stehli, a Davis Noon Rotarian, was inspired by the resilience and determination of the people to build a better life for themselves and their families despite almost insurmountable conditions. Like many other Rotarians, he wanted to give them a hand up while also honoring his own dairy heritage.

In August 2008, Stehli solicited and won the support of four Rotary Clubs: Davis Noon, Davis Sunrise, Folsom, and Ica, Peru plus Rotary Districts 5160 and 5180. The 3 Clubs in Davis and Folsom will contribute funds that are matched by the two Districts. In early October, after 13 months of planning and grant writing, a $10,000 grant was approved by RI. The Rotary Club of Folsom will serve as the sponsor while the Rotary Club of Ica will oversee the project’s implementation which includes the purchase of 4 pregnant Holstein heifers and the initial food supply. They will also work with the residents of Nueva Esperanza to construct the corral and provide ongoing supervision and assistance as needed.

None of this would be possible without the help of Ica Rotarian, Julio Delgado who has contributed untold hours to researching costs and logistics to ensure this project’s success, plus his working knowledge of dairy cows and practices in the Ica region is invaluable. All in all, it’s another great example of the global teamwork through Rotary that makes the world a better place to live.

Implementation should begin within the next month or two and completed within a year. For additional information, please contact Robert Comper, Folsom’s Director of International Service, at robertcomper@yahoo.com or Al Stehli, Rotary Club of Davis, Project Coordinator, at Al@AlStehli.com .