[singlepic=1681,250,,,right]With the devastating earthquake that recently hit Haiti, a great deal of attention and fundraising for recovery efforts has been placed there. However, there is another natural disaster that is affecting thousands of families. Heavy rains and extreme flooding have devastated many parts of Peru. In 2006, I had the opportunity to volunteer with Peru’s Challenge, an organization that works very closely with these communities.

Below is a recent email I received from Peru’s Challenge asking for urgent help. Whether you’ve already visited Peru or have it on your “bucket list”, I ask that you take a moment and see if you are willing to help the people of these communities.

[singlepic=1686,250,,,left]The people of Peru need your help.

If you’ve seen the news, you know that heavy rains and flooding have devastated Peru in the past few weeks. But while much of the international news coverage has focused on the closure of Machu Picchu, behind the scenes thousands of local Peruvians have lost their homes, and millions of acres of crops have been destroyed.

The communities that Peru’s Challenge works with have been hard hit too. Of the four communities in which we currently work, three are experiencing severe damage. Last week rain washed away an important access bridge between Pumamarca and Quilla Huata. Only 10 of more than 200 houses in Quilla Huata have been spared from flash flooding which has destroyed house foundations, meaning most will crumble and have to be rebuilt from scratch. I’ve just received word that flooding has claimed the whole school we built in the Huandar community in the Sacred Valley and all their cropping areas – their only livelihood. Keep in mind that now, in the standard rainy season (from November to March), is usually peak produce time for agricultural areas so all has been lost and cannot be recuperated until the rains fall again in late November this year.

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