Rachel Nicoll overseas crew July/Aug 2010 project - Crew Blog

Our July/Aug community teaching and building project has been at Azul Wasi children's home on the outskirts of Cuzco founded in 2002.Their motto is "Rights, Faith, Study, Development, and Progress" and objectives are to develop and maximize the full potential of young people who are found to be in high risk situations, living on the streets of Cuzco.

The orphanage lacked a lot of resources and was is in a state, broken windows and doors everywhere, holes in the ceiling, dangerous electrical cables, and very run down.The bathroom was in a poor state with the shower only working sometimes and no hot water for the orphans.With the windows broken no one wanted to be out in the cool taking a shower.

Our Peru volunteers Chris, Charlotte, Philip, Lauren, Jason and Anna have been very busy replacing windows to the bedrooms etc and classrooms.Sorting out the roofing as it was leaking, drafty and in a very bad condition, painting the huge gate to the orphanage with Azul Wasi logo, and lastly the bathrooms, flooring, painting, new shower heads and general maintenance.

We have been spending time with the orphans doing arts and crafts, making masks, face painting and teaching them how to tell the time with their own individual clock faces.The orphans love to spend time with the volunteers, and there is of course always time for a game or two of footie or volleyball.

This week we have been installing sinks so the orphans can wash their cloths more hygienically, cementing in a clothes line so they have somewhere clean to hang their clean cloths and painting the orphanage as most of the colours have flaked off.We had a bonfire and pizza night on Thursday to welcome the new volunteers with traditional music, dancing and toasted marshmallows and yummy pizza.We have one more arrival this weekend (Lisa) who everyone's very excited to meet and we say a sad goodbye to Lauren who is off on her travels again.

We are all feeling a great sense of achievement with the work that has been completed so far.The orphans have a more inviting and comfortable place to live in now, with showers that have hot water (and work), windows that don't let out the warmth on a night, and a washing area for clothes.We still have 2 weeks left of work so I will send you an update very soon and let you know what we have been getting up to!

Best wishes

Rachel - Mad in Peru 2010