WHY THE ANDES
When you could give to any cause, why choose the High Andes?
Learn more about who the people are, how we are helping them, and where we see them down the road. We think you'll agree that you can make an immense difference in the High Andes.
Past
In the 1500's, when the Spanish came to the high Andes, many of the natives were killed by new diseases or in battles. Those who survived and avoided becoming enslaved were driven from their homes into the mountains.
These indigenous people have lived for hundreds of years without any outside influences or help from a government, but they are quickly becoming extinct. They rely on primitive tradition with little understanding of basic sanitation, healthy diet, or medicine.
With a reported 92 different spoken languages and dialects among the separate villages, and their extremely remote location, these people have been isolated from the rest of the world with no hope or means of improving their situation - until now.
Present
Today, these indigenous people make up an estimated 45% of Peru's total population. The Peruvian government understands that there's a problem, but they simply aren't able to fix it alone. They are, however, willing to lend a hand where it counts.
The Peruvian government is taking steps to better the lives of the village people by staffing schools and medical facilities that are already constructed, but the villages need our help to fund new facilities. The government will employ the workers.
The Peruvian government has also ratified laws that uphold a tribe's right to live independently. Our aim is to help those who want to help themselves and still maintain the integrity of the villages and the dignity of the people.
Additionally, we seek out villages that aren't being helped by other charities and people and who are willing to provide the labor necessary for the completion of the projects. Our biggest contribution to them isn't money or materials; it's our willingness to work with them to accomplish what they seek for themselves and their children.
Our efforts are reaching 600,000 Peruvians in the Andes mountains, and with your help, we'll be able to reach more villages and save more lives.
Future
The future looks bright as hope is spread through the Peruvian villages and conditions are improved. We work with villages for four years to ensure that we're reducing death, teaching valuable skills, educating the population on sanitation, farming, and basic first aid, and teaching them how to perpetuate their progress.
As we are able to reach more villages and as they become self-sufficient, the chain of poverty will be broken, quality of life will improve, and hope will be restored to the villages.
There are so many ways to contribute to the good we're doing in Peru. Hundreds of villages await our help! Donate to a project that speaks to you!
