An introduction to Pisco Sin Fronteras

By: Tierra Entre De Los Ojos
What fueled the fire:
“On August 15, 2007 a 7.9 magnitude earthquake shook the coastal region of Peru, devastating local infrastructure and claiming 514 lives. Pisco, a city located on the southern coast of Peru, suffered the greatest impact in the worst national disaster to strike Peru in three decades. The situation in Pisco was catastrophic; an overwhelming number of homes, buildings and schools were reduced to rubble leaving countless Pisco residents without adequate shelter or sanitation facilities. According to the official United Nations count, 40,035 families were rendered homeless.

“The most gruesome aspect was the death toll, which was so great that bodies were stacked in the streets due to overflowing hospitals. Widespread power outages further increased the strain on hospitals, and ruined highways disrupted patient transportation. The Peruvian president declared a state of emergency in the province of Ica, which encompasses Pisco,” ( http://www.piscosinfronteras.org/about-us1.html).

How it all began:
As many of us have seen, when disasters like the earthquake in Peru, the tsunami in Thailand, or hurricane Katrina in the United States occurs, people rush in from all over the world to aid the families in distress. However, after a certain amount of time, people, organizations, and aid leave the site and return home.

In Pisco, many international aid foundations saw the disaster in need of much aid. USAID provided $100,000 for supplies and transport of supplies to Peru. Direct Relief International supplied the area with $1.1 million in medical supplies. Oxfam International built temporary schools. While all this aid was helpful, it was also temporary. An organization named Burners Without Borders (BWB) recognized that it would take nearly a decade or more to fully reconstruct Pisco and the surrounding area. Thus, BWB made a commitment to the city and the people of Pisco to set up a long-term foundation that would help citizens to rebuild their homes, work on economic development, and reconstruct an adequate sewage system.

Pisco Sin Fronteras:
A local Peruvian, Harold Zevallos Salas, saw the dedication of the volunteers with BWB and made a decision to create a Peruvian organization that would be affordable for all who wanted to help. On August 15, 2008 Pisco Sin Fronteras (PSF) was born.

The goal at PSF is, “to see everyone affected by the dereliction caused by the earthquake in around the city of Pisco, move into permanent, strong, safe, and clean housing with proper access to sanitation. [They] want the local people to be empowered with the knowledge, motivation and skills necessary to help themselves rebuild their community and build a better future for themselves and their children,” (http://www.piscosinfronteras.org/about-us1.html).

First encounters:
We have been in Pisco for only four days worth of work, but have already been able to experience many projects offered at PSF. PSF coordinators highly encourage all volunteers to get involved in all aspects of the community. This means each volunteer has the opportunity to do everything from cooking dinner for 90 volunteers to breaking down pallets for 8 hours in a day to playing with local children, pouring concrete, and teaching English to locals. On first impression, I see the organization to be extremely diverse in volunteer opportunities, learning experiences, and community goals. I appreciate and respect the ambition and objectives held by all members of PSF, and I only hope I can help make a significant difference within the town of Pisco.

This next week Kether, Rayna, and I will be delving into new and different projects. We will write about our experiences volunteering. We are excited to share the people we meet, the places we go, and the work we do!