QThe village of San Rafael in Peru’s Amazon basin adds new meaning to the word ‘remote’.
To get there from the nearest city of Bagua, you have to take a hair-raising six-hour 4×4 trip through the jungle to the town of Santa María de Nieva. Then a four-hour boat ride along the Marañón, a tributary of the Amazon.
Its isolation is a double-edged sword. The village is surrounded by significant natural beauty, but access to basic facilities such as water and electricity is almost non-existent.
Education is also in short supply. With almost no power and IT equipment, children in San Rafael could not access the Peruvian government’s TV, radio and internet education program when the school was forced to close due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Schools across the country must stay home because Peru has the highest rate of Covid deaths per head of population worldwide, with 3.6m cases and more than 213,000 deaths in a population of 33 million only.
However, for these 97 children and five teachers, the pandemic brought many challenges to an already complicated situation.
Warwickshire-based charity Practical Action, in partnership with the Ministry of Education and local authorities, is helping to improve rural education in Peru.
In areas far from the grid, this is not an easy task – but with the close participation of the community and teachers, the charity brings a combination of renewable energy, access to clean water, and vegetable gardens to the school. .
An illegal mining camp in Marañón
(Sam Webb)
The teachers say that the children of San Rafael have dreams that match their potential, but a solid education is essential to unlock it – especially because of the climate crisis that the next generation will face.
Land protection is one of the biggest concerns for the Río Santiago region. Illegal mining and logging pollute clean water sources, and logging makes them more exposed to the worst effects of climate change.
Mercury from illegal mining enters the water and is dangerous for children and their families
(Sam Webb)
The head teacher Ricardo Fuchia Valverde said: “People do not have reliable income, so they log trees or work in mining. You can see big machines working in the river, which is a danger.
“Mercury is used to extract gold, and if they are not careful, it can fall into the water and be dangerous for children and their families. It is forbidden, but people do it out of necessity”.
Headteacher Ricardo Fuchia Valverde
(Practical Action)
Martin Noningo Seses, director of education for the local authority, works in an office just meters from the river.
He said: “We are losing virgin forests, replacing large trees with other plants, exposing us to flooding and heavy rains. Education is important to live in harmony with the environment – nature gives us life.
“We can use natural resources, but we must do it responsibly. We want a clean river, with clean water. Right now, we don’t have water. This is the capital city of the region, and we have no water.
“The river is not what it used to be. It is contaminated and the children are sick. We have to import water from several miles away. “
The Marañón is part of the Amazon basin
(Sam Webb)
But as challenges arise, so do the efforts of teachers, parents and children to overcome them.
Nila Impi Wachapa, a teacher, says that renovating the school with energy, water, and better food will allow children to fulfill their potential and access the same opportunities that exist in students in less remote communities.
“We work with what we have. We don’t feel bad or inferior for this, but we want our children to be what they want to be, access all available knowledge, and compete fairly with the kids in the city.
Teachers say the children of San Rafael have dreams that match their potential
(Sam Webb)
Tiberio Nanchi Sumpa, the “apu” (community leader) of San Rafael, added: “This is one of the many schools that the state has forgotten. Now the children will have a better future”.
Estrella Yasmin Kuja Wachapa, a 13-year-old student, is excited to work with tablets, which will soon be available with better energy and internet connections, and learn English so she can travel the world. .
“It’s really exciting. I want to study to become a nurse. I like to take care of people and help them when they are sick.”
Nila Impi Wachapa, a teacher, said her students can compete with children in the city
(Practical Action)
To improve nutrition, Practical Action helped build a nursery, where students can learn agricultural techniques and how to grow different plants such as cucumbers, Amazonian fruits and other vegetables to supplement their daily food. In the past, children only ate yucca and salt. Now they can go home and show their parents how to farm more effectively.
“The children were so hungry that they fell asleep when they arrived. They try to last until 1am, and then they drop. Before, they had no desire to study. Now, they come with the excitement of being here”, said Mr Valverde.
A spokesperson for Practical Action said: “This work shows the value of having water, electricity, tablets and digital educational materials in the native language in rural schools so that all children in Peru can have a better life now and in the future. “
