Pamplona Alta
Hi, my name is Jeff Kennes, and I am a Canadian Exchange Student, sponsored by the Rotary Club of Strathroy Ontario, and am currently living in Lima Peru, hosted by San Isidro Rotary Club.
As a Rotary Exchange Student, I like so many others, have been given an opportunity of a life time, not only to learn a different language, become a member of a different culture, and live a totally different life for one year, but also to help change the world. I luckily have had such an opportunity, being an exchange student in a third world country. As we know many of us in North America are blessed to have more than we could ever need, this is a far cry from our neighbours, just south of us. Although Peru is a quickly developing country in South America, the large majority of the population still lacks the basic necessities that we take for granted. The people in some areas even lack water, basic plumbing, food and shelter. Scarily enough many of these place are found right in the City of Lima, the most famous being the area “Pamplona Alta” within the district of San Juan de Miraflores.
It is here in Pamplona Alta that the Rotary Club of San Isidro has been working to improve the lives of the citizens. This how ever is not an easy task. In the past many organizations, charities and even the Peruvian Government have tried to help develop the area, but usually all funds donated to the people of Pamplona end up being spent by the parents of the families on alcohol as a means to relieve them of their depression. Therein the Rotary and Roteract clubs of San Isidro, in Partnership with the United States charity health organization “Medlife,” have been active in multiple campaigns within Pamplona working towards aiding the lives and health of the children living there.
The first campaign in Late September revolved around providing free healthcare and medicine towards both children and adults in Pamplona Alta. Many Volunteer Doctors from Peru, the United States and Canada all came up to the mountainous town and within makeshift tents provided everything from dietitians to dentists to all sorts of doctors. I got the opportunity to help within the pharmacy tent, helping to both provide medicine to the Pamplonans as well as help administer it to some of the younger and the much older patients.
After almost running out of stock on much of our medicine we had helped easily over three hundred families, and I had helped people without anything in a very improvised district that could be easily described as a site measurable to the magnificence of Machu Picchu. We plan to return again to set up more campaigns similar to this one in 2011.
After this however Rotary did not feel that it was finished in Pamplona Alta for 2010, so we came back, just in time for Christmas, to throw a party for the children of the area. There, again in partnership with Medlife, we threw a big bash, to try and make a meaningful Navidad for the kids. We came, presents in hand, actually in sacks stuffed in buses.
We started the campaign off with a little show provided by our Roteract Club in co-operation with the Police Department of Southern Lima. The Children danced along as our Roteract President led a fun dance show demonstrating the importance of traffic and road safety, mixed with many Christmas songs.
Then it was time for the main event. All the kids lined up in a big formation excitedly waiting the “figurative” arrival of Santa Clause. They had huge smiles of excitement all on their faces as they waited to receive their Christmas Presents. I myself was very excited just to make this Christmas a happy one for so many kids.
As we handed out the presents to the young girls and boys they were so happy. These kids, who sometimes don’t even have food to eat or fresh water to drink, and who live in little shacks with their families, got to have a few hours of joy, and a Feliz Navidad. I will likely always remember the smiles of joy on their faces as well as all of the good that Rotary has done for them, but not only that. I will always remember and be thankful for the two gifts Rotary has given me, to be the Santa in a young child’s life, showing me the true meaning of Christmas, as well as the opportunity to make a difference in the world, as a Rotary Exchange Student.
Thank you, so very much.
Jeff Kennes
Rotary Exchange Student
Canada-Peru
2010-2011
