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July 2007
 Our last day in Huaraz and actually in Peru, seems to have arrived quickly. I am wakened by the sound of suitcases being rolled over the cobblestones. At first, I panicked and jumped from bed, thinking I had overslept and everyone was leaving. As I peeked out the door of my room, I see dozens of teenagers arriving for the weekend and wanting our rooms! So much for sleeping in!
It's a beautiful clear morning and the snow covered mountains and babbling brook are a beautiful way to start the day. Life is sweet this morning at the ECCAME Hotel.
We get scrambled eggs for breakfast along with the rolls, matte tea and cafe con leche. We learn the kids are on a field trip for the weekend-they are giggly and high spirited. Then the bus takes us to the airport. There are 2 flights a day in and out of Huaraz. Crops are planted next to the runways and there are people working in the fields. Very different from the airport "security" we are used to! Our plane is late by about an hour, due probably to the pea soup conditions in the Lima mornings. The plane holds 16 and has one seat on either side. We get a nice boxed lunch and newspaper: What great customer care!
 The CCS staff and van are waiting for us on arrival in Lima and we are taken back to Home Base for lunch. This gives us a chance to pack to go home, check our email and eat lunch. There is one very funny moment at lunch when the platter of meat was being brought from the kitchen and you could see signs of panic on many of our faces. It looked a lot like the guinea pig we'd been feted twice with. We had this fleeting thought they were serving us this delicacy on our last lunch! But, we quickly realized, to our delight, it was chicken legs and wings!
Our afternoon visit began at the EDYFICAR Agency in San Juan de Lurigancho (in southeast metropolitan Lima. The Credit Manager, Marco Guzman, is waiting with refreshments for us (Cookies and juice-no cuy!) When we had visited with Milo Stanojevich CARE's country Director, he had explained that the micro-development projects had been so successful, that CARE had problems with the scope of the lending and accounting required, so they had partnered to form an independent bank network to serve this purpose. EDYFICAR is a mircofinance institution regulated by the Peruvian Superindendent of Banking and Insurace. CARE-PERU is the largest stockholder. They operate in 8 cities to serve the entrepreneurs. We asked a lot of questions and discovered how differently things work in Peru. The average loan length is 2-3 years and the interest rate was slightly below the country norm but still surprised us when we heard it was about 3 1/2% per month! Many of the entrepreneurs had taken out loan after loan-some having taken advantage of using the sytem 10 or more times.
We visited 3 families that had benefitted from the loans and had thriving businesses that were supporting them and allowing them to hire others. We saw sophisticated embroidery machines in one house where about a dozen people were working in every nook and cranny to produce baby clothes. At the next home/business there were knitting machines and we watched the sweaters being made for the markets and learned the difference between baby alpaca wool and "maybe" alpaca wool! And our last stop was to see a business making religious, clay handicrafts that were being exported to Germany and to other places. We learned that many of these entrepreneurs began with $500 or less and have paid back and taken ever larger loans to be able to purchase the equipment we saw and to expand. They were proud to show us what they were making. They were living and working in two- and three-story buildings that were filled with people and supplies.
What a week! We saw so much that an average tourist wouldn't have been able to see. I know each of us was appreciative at the work that went into planning our trip so that we could really experience first hand the country of Peru.
We went back to Homebase, packed and headed out for out last dinner together at a nice Lima Restuarant recommended by the CSS Country Director, Kique Bossio. We had taken in a lot this week and certainly were getting tired, but we celebrated and toasted out thanks to MORE and to CARE for creating an extraordinary adventure.
The Giving Circle will be "regrouping" in the coming weeks. We want to complete the pledge we made to raise $100,000. That leaves us about $76,000 to go!!!! After seeing the empowerment that CARE is bringing to their projects, I know each of us has passion to share our experience and to continue to share our resources! Thank you MORE!!!!(And especially Peggy for your vision) and Thank you CARE (and especially Amanada and Carol for you dedication!) -- Joeann Fossland, Founder, Web Women Giving Circle
3:23 PM - Jul. 31, 2007 - {0} -
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 Day 6 dawned clear and bright at the Eccame Hotel. It was to be our longest day (and that’s saying something), and we prepared with a familiar breakfast of delicious café con leche, fresh-squeezed orange juice, and rolls along with scrambled eggs.
By 8:00 a.m. we were on the bus, a large-ish vehicle that we were told would hold the mountain roads to the district of Shupluy more reliably than a smaller van. Fran, who had started the trip with a lifelong fear of heights, got over them that day! (Way to go, Fran!)
Our first stop in Shupluy was Primorpampa, where we visited families raising Guinea Pigs. Guinea pigs are native to the Andes, and their meat is considered a delicacy, something I can affirm firsthand. High in protein and low in fat and cholesterol, guinea pigs can be bred, raised, and taken to market in as little three months, making them a very efficient source of both food and income.
 CARE's intervention included hygiene, segregation of the animals in pens for better hygiene, and construction of a common sanitary facility for processing the meat. Families now use the composted animal waste to fertilize feed crops such as barley or alfalfa, which are used in turn to feed the animals. Some families have been able to cultivate substantial organic vegetable gardens in addition to the feed crops.
 We observed two significant systemic changes related to the changes in guinea pig production. One is the improvement in overall hygiene as sanitary practices related to raising the animals are applied to other aspects of everyday life. We rubbed our shoes in a tray of lime before entering the houses, for example, to control the spread of contamination.
The second systemic change has to do with empowering women, who are the primary providers of care for the guinea pigs. As their ventures prosper, the women enjoy greater standing in the community and command more respect. One woman told us that the men in the village used to sometimes hit their wives, but that this has stopped as the women have attained more economic power.
The highlight of our visit was a feast of guinea pig and spiced potatoes (a plate full of them for each of us) with a bottle of super-sweet Inka Cola, a popular soft drink. Imagine the pride these villagers must have felt at being able to offer such a rich repast for nearly 20 people. (Our group of 11 intrepid woman was augmented by CARE-Peru staff and our beloved translator, Tito, of Langway Language Schools in Huaraz.)
Our next stop was Huaraz, where we spent an hour or so in the wonderful markets admiring handmade sweaters, scarves, hats, and other handicrafts. Then we headed to the Chequio Community, where we visited artichoke production fields.
At Chequio we witnessed similar shifts in the social structure as well as the economic life of the community. Women were the primary movers in developing the artichoke fields, and they enjoyed a larger role in making family and community decisions as a result.
Perhaps, like me, you recall the black and white television and magazine ads for CARE circa 1960 featuring the ubiquitous CARE package. If so, you have some catching up to do. CARE's approach to aid has changed dramatically, shifting from the provision of direct service to providing technical assistance, analysis, and start up funds for systemic interventions that result in long term improvements that are maintained by the community rather than by ongoing outside support.
 This kind of systemic intervention is not as sexy as direct relief, and as a result, CARE faces fund raising challenges today that it did not face in the past. It's ironic that now that a dollar donated to CARE has so much more leverage, it is harder to attract support. Not to worry. I know 11 alpha women who came home last week with a bee in their bonnets, a bee that is going to be spreading the CARE buzz for a long time to come. -- Molly Gordon, MCC
10:24 PM - Jul. 30, 2007 - {0} -
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The next day in Peru found us at 10,000 foot altitude to survey the work of a local volunteer group who worked with CARE to bring running water to homes. Imagine that! There are still homes and families in the world where running water is a cause for pride and celebration! They showed us the station containing the pipes and plumbing that they installed ... and they painted the cement box because they knew in advance that we would be there to visit them! On a personal level, I confess that this was one of the most humbling moments in my lifetime, and I am proud to share this moment with digital images that share that pride with the world!
 Each family in the community is responsible to share volunteer hours ... we were honored to meet with the movers and shakers there who worked with CARE to make it possible ... they showed us the books (left) and they showed us the fruits of their labor.
.jpg) We met a local resident who is a direct beneficiary of these efforts ... she is proud to show us a sink with running water. We share her joy. We also have increased gratitude for things we take for granted at home.
Later, we take a little drive ... at 12,000 feet we find ourselves at one of the most beautiful lakes in the world ... the air is like perfume ... we are totally awestruck and breathless. We can almost touch heaven!
Web Women Giving Circle Founder Joeann Fossland shares a reflective moment with her daughter, Dawn Yellott.
 I ordered a cup of coca tea from local concessionaires in the park. The locals drink coca tea to stave off altitude sickness ... it works very well.
 Later that day we visit an avocado farm and a local Boomer shows me some of her hats.
This is her favorite. I bought one just like it! -- Frances Flynn Thorsen
12:29 PM - Jul. 30, 2007 - {0} -
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