Home Improvement Program H.I.P

CURRENT CITIES GO THROUGH DIFFERENT STAGES OF GROWTH. Evolution of each of them corresponds to the constant and hard work of its residents in time. Different actors get involved through all this process who assume important roles and systematicly become part of the living history of a city. Here in Chimbote-Perú one of those social groups is the Nuestra Señora del Perpetuo Socorro Parish (Our Lady of Perpetual Help parish) whose priest is Fr. Jack Davis who, due to his love for the poorest people of Chimbote and through his great efforts ro serve them conveniently, together with Sr. Peggy Byrne, founded a Non-Profit Organization called Los Amigos del Padre Juan (The Father Jack's Friends) that for many years, has given and keeps giving support in differents areas to the poor residents of Chimbote. This way it is doing its best to help them live with dignity and hope.

Presently, it continues to try to generate more benefits for community since there are many American people involved with its goals in several ways even as: Members of the board of directors, donors, benefactors, volunteers, etc. On the other hand and in tune to this noble purpose, the non-profit organization Chimbote Oportunidades Ilimitadas CHOI (Chimbote Unlimited Opportunities), an organization under Los Amigos's tutelage, is working on a newfangled, main and affordable housing project called "MAKING OF CONCRETE BLOCKS FOR FLOORS AND CEMENT-PAPER PANELS (PAPERCRETE) FOR WALLS" which is part of CHOI's affordable housing program "Home Improvement Program H.I.P: Better House Better Life", with which is expected to generate a number of advantages and to achieve socio-economic development of a large segment of the population of Chimbote.

LOCATION: Concrete Blocks and Papercrete Panels Project is located in PERÚ country, ANCASH department, DEL SANTA province, CHIMBOTE district, LA VICTORIA neighbothood (where Our Lady of Perpetual Help parish is located) and those surrounding it. This project represents an insight that will have many beneficiaries, will improve the quality of life and will contribute to development of our poor communities.

This main project includes the first two initiatives: Concrete Blocks and Papercrete Panels, that were the foundation for this project and on which I shared previously with you all through these posts: Concrete Blocks (activity 1, activity 2) and Papercrete Panels (activity 1); also, intends to improve all activities anteriorly made in their different aspects.

Click HERE to learn about the goals of the project of the HOME IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM H.I.P

Acknowledgement

LEADERS OF CHIMBOTE ROTARY CLUB CONSIDERED WORTHY OF ACKNOWLEDGEMENT the good work that Los Amigos Medical Aid - LAMA association from Minnesota-USA made in performing a new medical campaign for free this year headed to the poorest people living surrounding fr. Jack Davis' parish. So after Chimbote 2010 Medical Mission was over some of its members attended to the recognition ceremony which took place at the headquarters of Chimbote Rotary Club located at 131 Francisco Bolognesi Avenue, Chimbote. First of all thanks to God for predisposing the hearts of the medical mission members and for allowing this campaign was performed.

Also thanks to Mrs. Dorothy Brama - director of LAMA - whose work is to recruit people and organize each medical mission and thanks to her husband Mr. Tony Brama too. Unfortunately they could not attend the ceremony but the following members of the medical mission were there: Mr. Tony McDonald (ophthalmologist, member of Minnesota Rotary Club); Mr. Steve Aaker (odontologist); Ms. Wendy Simard (Canadian volunteer.) Officers of Chimbote Rotary Club recognized the noble work that LAMA team performs on behalf of the impoverish population of Chimbote to help them get their physical health.

They said that were very pleased to be able to help improve the quality of life of the poorest by bringing medical care to them and those who needed it. They also shared that are willing to continue to help this way people of Chimbote because there are so many people in need of receiving medical care and the need is not only in this area but other as well. This way, they got to know a little more about main needs of residents of Chimbote.

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Concrete Blocks - 2

ON THIS POST, I WOULD LIKE TO SHARE with you all the second activity about making of concrete blocks to be used as floor in houses. As you must know, by the first activity on this initiative, the main goal is to provide the posibility the poor residents of Chimbote may count on concrete floor at low price for their houses and this way avoding family members, specially little children, may get some kind of disease, breathe air mixed with dust, etc. because of having soil floor. In this second activity Mr. Carlos Alayo along with an assistant were making more concrete blocks.

They were working an entire afternoon, even until night, at brickwork San Gerónimo located in Ramal Playa village very near fr. Jacks Davis' parish. It is expected this initiative will be able to get better, in some way, the quality of life of the poor residents of Chimbote and bring them dignity living in houses worthy of a human being.

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Medical Aid

AS PART OF ITS ANNUAL SOCIAL SUPPORT PROGRAM for the benefit of people living in the poorest villages in Chimbote, the staff of Los Amigos Medical Aid - LAMA, whose director is Mrs. Dorothy Brama and as always assisted by her dear husband Mr. Tony Brama, was performing a new medical campaign for free headed to poor residents living in neighborhoods surrounding fr. Jack Davis' parish. Last year they performed another medical campaign - January 2009. LAMA is a committee that is located in Minnesota-USA and is a part of non-profit organization Los Amigos del Padre Juan. Most of people that made up this team, among organizers, health professionals, volunteers, etc, were from MN-USA but also from Canada. Mrs. Dorothy Brama has been recruiting this medical team several months ago.

Such a campaign took place since Monday March 15th to Friday March 19th from 8:00 am to 6:00 pm and there were two places prepared in advance to welcome patients. The first place was Santa Ana Medical Post located in fraternidad village (even was necessary to use the parish situated next to Medical Post) and the second one was Corazón de Jesús parish located in a poor neighbor village called Ramal Playa. Health professionals were attending patients at these two places at the same time. Medical services offered were: General medicine, odontology, nursing, ophthalmology, physical therapy, cardiology, clinical laboratory, ultrasound, x-rays, pharmacy.

The purpose of this new medical campaign was not only give medical care but also training specially for students of health sciences. So, the health professionals of the team was training some university students of Chimbote and it was made considering medical specialty of students. The team was also made up by an emergency doctor from Canada, an x-ray technician and an ultrasound technician. The entire team was comprised by 40 people. They even gave, as a donation, glasses to those patients who need them and medications required by prescription.

All of patients received small presents (shampoo, cream, etc) and also medication for parasites. Residents living in villages surrounding fr. Jack Davis' parish were making a queue since early in the mornings and 635 of them, in average, were attended per day. Undoubtedly, LAMA did a great job serving the poor of Chimbote, Perú !!!

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Papercrete Panels

THROUGH THIS POST I WOULD LIKE TO SHARE WITH YOU ALL about a new initiative related to development of affordable housing here in Chimbote-Perú. It is about PAPERCRETE PANELS PROJECT. It was born with the purpose of making possible that poor families in the area are able to acquire a decent housing to live. It is opportune to highlight the invaluable contribution and selfless support of Mr. Earl Milbrath (from Minnesota-USA) as a catalyst element for this project. Presently he is the president of the Economic Development Council (EDC) which is a committee operating under the direction of the non-profit organization Los Amigos del Padre Juan.

Mr. Earl Milbrath is doing his best, through several ways, for all programs of CHOI to keep running. At this point I must say that CHOI is sponsoring this Papercrete Project. Mr. Orlando Bermúdez, the present executive director of CHOI, is in charge of this project and Mr. Carlos Alayo is in charge of the technical part of the project. At the end of the last month, March, after spending some time putting together resources needed to the project, Mr. Carlos Alayo started its implementation.

But you may be wondering yourself, what is papercrete? Well, it comes from the union of two words: Paper + Concrete = Papercrete. Let me share a little more about it. Papercrete is a recently developed construction material, an amazing building material. It is made from recycled paper with a small amount of cement (concrete) and sand added. The ratio paper/concrete/sand is 3/1/1. Before making the mixture, paper should has been soaked in water for several days. Then it must be crumbled using an appropriate proportion of water. It would be better if it is used a mixer to do this process.

After paper is crumbled it is time to prepare mixture. The paper/concrete/sand combination is stirred in a large barrel, much like a blender, until all paper is shredded and evenly mixed with the concrete and sand. After mixture has an uniform texture it is poured in any type of mold, prepared in advance. It is allowed to dry for a while and already it is gotten papercrete products: bricks for walls, blocks, etc, to use them in constructions. Papercrete can be mortared, drilled, hammered, nailed, used as plaster and as an infill between poles or studs.

To make papercrete, it can be used nearly any kind of paper. Cardboard, glossy magazine stock, advertising brochures, junk mail, etc. Some types of paper work better than others, but all types work. Newsprint is best. Waterproofed paper and cardboard, such as butcher paper, beer cartons, etc. are harder to break down in water. Catalogs, magazines and other publications are fine.

Back to this Papercrete Project, the place chosen to run it was Saint Mauricio Brickwork, property of an American lady named Veronica Miuller and located in Ramal Playa village here in Chimbote. So, Mr. Carlos Alayo was there and made a planch of papercrete. People in charge of this project are gonna try to make bricks of papercrete as well. This time is to make prototypes and test papercrete products.

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Concrete Blocks - 1

IN AN EFFORT TO ASSIST, ONE WAY OR ANOTHER, THE POOR PEOPLE OF CHIMBOTE, the non-profit organization Chimbote Oportunidades Ilimitadas CHOI (Chimbote Unlimited Oportunities), whose present administrator is Mr. Orlando Bermúdez, has sponsored the making of concrete blocks which can be used as floor in houses. They will be able to be purchased by those people disadvantaged at a very cheap price. Mr. Carlos Alayo, coordinator of CHOI's educational programs called Dollas For Scholars and Leaders For Tomorrow, is in charge of the performance of this work which is possible because of funds provided by CHOI, which coming from benefactors specially Americans.

At the moment, the work is at stage of making of small-scale concrete blocks. People who are in charge of this work are trying to make these blocks considering the lowest possible production cost for the price of each concrete block to be accessible for the poor residents of Chimbote. After the making, they are going to test the quality of the blocks to make sure that they are well done.

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CHOI Training Event - Day 2

CONTINUING WITH THE TWO-DAY TRAINING EVENT organized by CHOI, which was headed to customers of one of its programs called Micro lending and all people interested in it, and having been held the first day of training on Friday, February 26th, 2010 now I would like to share with you all about the second day of training that took place on Monday, March 01st, 2010 at 3:30 pm in Youth House here in Chimbote. The session was opened by the administrator of CHOI Mr. Orlando Bermúdez.

The main speaker was Mr. Jorge Villar Reyes, who is a business administrator and past manager (2004 - 2006) of the Asociación Civil Apoyo Familiar ACAF (Family Support Civil Association) an association that operates under direction of The non-profit organization called Los Amigos del Padre Juan (The Father Jack's Friends.) Mr. Jorge was sharing with attendees the topic: Marketing for Enterpreneurs. Here are some items that Mr. Jorge Villar shared:

• A look at market
• What do other businesses offer that small businesses don't?
• Against whom we compete?
• What is marketing?
• Practical functions of marketing
• Creative marketing
• If you use marketing, can you attract customers?
• Let's analyze your business: Who are your customers? do you know who your competition is? what is the value of your products or services?
• Marketing mix
• Do satisfied customers always return?
• Main elements to succeed in your business
• Ideas to generate more sales in your business, etc.

This way the two-day training event was performed having on mind sowing seeds for creation of new small business and strengthening existing ones.

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