peru 2011 report - globalkindnessfoundation.ca
TRANSCRIPT
Global Kindness Foundation (GKF)
was fortunate to send a small team
to Peru to work with Vera Martin of
Hope for Peru (HFP). Dr Dewji has
worked with Vera previously when
he led missions for Kindness in
Action. The purpose of this trip
was to help as many poor people as
we could, and to scout out future
locations to send GKF teams. Both
objectives were achieved
successfully.
Introduction
WE FORGOT OUR HEADLIGHTS!!! THANK GOD
FOR DUCT TAPE
LOTS OF HELPERS SO MUCH WORKWE GOT TO WORK IN THE
CENTER’S CHURCH
PERU 2011GLOBAL KINDNESS FOUNDATION &
HOPE FOR PERU MISSION
Our team consisted of Dr Dewji, Fatemah Dewji (assistant extrodinare), Vera Martin (HFP’s medical specialist),
and 3 local volunteers that helped with instrument cleaning, translation, and patient management. We spent 4 days in Calloa, a slum area of Lima, at the
Thomas Helm Center. Dr Dewji has previously worked at this centre in 2005 and 2008. The centre helps poor
children in the area by helping them with homework and teaching them life skills. They also provide meals to these
impoverished children. Vera also has an office at the centre that acts as a medical facility for the neighborhood. She is a practical nurse from Maine
USA who spends 3 to 6 months in Peru providing much needed medical services to poor people. She is
affectionately known as “Doctor” in many communities. The remaining 4
working days were spent in Vista Alegre outside of Pachacamac. This squatters village with about 80 poor families is
about 1.5 hours south of Lima. Vera has recently started going to this community once a week to provide medical services. In the village we set
up in the mayors “living room” and had to rent a generator since there wasn’t enough wattage in the electrical supply
they had. Both GKF and HFP shared the room. As we fixed teeth, Vera examined patients, did urine analysis,
dispensed free medication, administered shots, and gave health advice. She also helped translate for our dental patients. GKF also gave Panetons (Christmas
Cake) to each family. These Panetons were bought from the community of Children as a fundraiser (more on that
in the next section.) The Panetons were much appreciated and brought a smile to many a face.
How we Helped
HIGHLIGHTS
MEDICAL DENTAL TOGETHER
LETS CHECK YOUR STOMACH BEFORE FIXING YOUR TEETH
PANETON DISTRIBUTION
WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO MY MUM WHILE I ’M EATING?
OUR TEAM IN VISTA ALEGRE
COMMUNITY OF CHILDREN
One of the goals of this trip was
to investigate La Comunidad de
Los Ninos - Sagrada Familia. It
roughly translates to Community
of Children. This compound is
about 1.5 hours north of Lima,
and has been running for the last
17 years. Presently, it has 836
abandoned children ranging in
age from 2 months to 18 years.
The compound has 6 buildings
that house all the children, a fully
functioning school, a health
center, a commercial bakery for
fundraising (hence the Panetons
we bought), and a kitchen that
cooks a 100 kilos of rice a day.
The children seemed well cared
for, but there was definitely a
need for dental care. GKF is
planning a dental mission to the
community in May 2012. Further
details will be coming out in the
next few weeks.
The Scouting MissionPERU 2011 STATS
1. CHILDREN TREATED 44
2. ADULTS TREATED 67
3. TEETH TREATED 660
4. AMALGAM SURFACES 207
5. COMPOSITE SURFACES 126
6. FISSURE SEALANTS 289
7. PULPOTOMIES 29
8. STAINLESS STEEL CROWNS 42
9. EXTRACTIONS 124
10. MEDICAL PATIENTS 75