Our Stories
Leila and Souad
Ursula's Story
Auveen's Story
Our Management Committee
We now have a management committee set up to help with the organisation of the work and fundraising.
In Ireland :They are:
- Patricia Hickey, Solicitor
- Brenda Murphy, Accountant
- Frances McNelis, Secondary school teacher
- Nicky Conboy, Social Care Worker
- Kevin St John, Systems engineer with the ESB
- Aoifa St John, Clinical Nurse Specialist
- Michael Murphy, Civil Engineer
In Lima : They are:
- Michael Murphy
- Tony Ames
- Brigid McCarthy
- Sr. Ann McLaughlin/Sr. Clare Lynch
- Miriam Chauca.
We propose to set up a Management Committee for the New Therapy Centre in the near future
Consisting of
2 from PCC in Lima
2 from Parents Committee
1 from Community
1 from Staff
3 From local healthcare centresCatherine Herrity
May 2008
Story by Catherine Herrity
On arriving in Lima early one morning on our recent trip we were greeted by the welcoming face of Luis Miguel who luckily remained with us through a good chunk of our trip and was more than happy to interpret on our behalf thank goodness, as our command of the Spanish language was not so hot. Luis Miguel was a good companion as neither of us had ever before traveled to South America and along the way we were introduced to others who offered guidance, security and great travel advice.
Lyn and Kevin St. John
April 2008
We went to Peru recently for a holiday. While there we planned to meet Michael Murphy, Peru Children's Charity, and to visit Las Lomas. We had raised €3000 for the charity from family and friends, and Michael was anxious that we meet the people in Las Lomas, and see things at first hand.
Las Lomas de Carabayello is a sprawling shantytown of a million and a half people on the outskirts of Lima. It spreads as far as the eye can see up the foothills of the Andes. The land is barren, rocky sand (Lima is a 'desert city'). There's no running water, sanitation, or electricity. Houses for many people are only 4 'walls' made from a basket-type weave, with plastic for a roof. Starter homes, for people lucky enough to have them, are comprised of a living room with one or two bedrooms, made of mud bricks (adobe) with a galvanised roof. Over the years people build more permanent houses with brick, if their circumstances improve a bit.
Mission Imperuvable TY Class
St Columbas Comprehensive, Glenties, Co Donegal.
Who are we?
We are the transition year class of Glenties Comprehensive school. We have decided to focus on Los Lomas in Peru for our Young Social Innovators class. Our plan is to raise awareness of the poverty in Los Lomas and to help raise some funds for the people. Peru Children's Charity has recently provided a safe running water line from the surrounding mountains to the centre of the village in Los Lomas. We would like to focus on this need for our project.
Visit to the Earthquake Zone
Michael Murphy - September 2007
I recently paid a visit to the Earthquake zone in Chincha and Pisco. I had seen so many news reports and video footage that I thought it would be just giving a small token of support, which would be no big problem, but I wasn't prepared for the traumatic effect it would have on me seeing it all in reality. It was so awful and so sad.
Tony Ames, Project Co-ordinator
August 2007
Tony Ames I was in Las Lomas some days ago, because I wanted to do a special Piece which you could on our web site. I spent all Sunday there; I had to go to many houses, because on Sunday the dinning rooms are not in use. Everywhere I went people were very happy to see me, and asked me about Mike and when he would be coming back again. Most of them are looking forward to seeing Mike soon again.
Ciara Murphy, Volunteer
March 2007
My name is Ciara Murphy. I have recently spent two weeks in Peru. I would like to share my experience of my time spent in Las Lomas de Carabayello the shanty town in which my father (Michael) does some voluntary work.
Firstly I would like to explain why I choose Peru as a holiday destination. As many of you are aware my father Michael Murphy has been volunteering in the shanty towns for the past couple of years. More recently he has been spending 6 months of the year out there. From listening to his stories and looking at his photographs I decided to go to Peru to experience this for myself. Michael always seemed so happy when he was spending time out in Peru no matter how many desperate cases he came across, this always intrigued me. As a result two of my friends and I booked a flight to join him in Peru.
Ruth Bracken
During the summer of 2008 I had the privilege of working three afternoons a week with the young people who attend the therapy centre at Las Lomas in the outskirts of Lima.
On my first day Cedelia, the administrator, asked me what activity I would like to do with the "children". I had absolutely no idea. So searching around the centre, I discovered some children's books, and in sheer desperation I suggested reading stories. To be honest, I was just clutching at straws as, although I've been attending classes over the past few years my Spanish still has a way to go.
Background to Peru Children's Charity
Michael Murphy, who worked as a civil engineer and self-employed business man, always dreamt of going to the Third World to carry out volunteer work. In 2004 the opportunity presented itself when he went to Lima to see if he could be of service to some poor community.
He met a nun, Sr. Noemi from Mexico, who was working with a poor community in Las Lomas de Carabayllo; she told him she had lots of work for him if he was available.
All the projects are undertaken on a partnership basis, either a community in partnership with the charity, or a family in partnership with the charity. Partnership and empowerment are a key focus of Peru Children’s Charity.
The projects completed in the recent past include ‘Family Support Centres’ in partnership with a community, Community Dining rooms also in partnership with each community. In these Dining rooms families come together and cook the main meal of the day and share the cost and everyone takes turns at the cooking. Small starter homes in partnership with poor families have also been completed, the charity supplies the material and the family supply the labour, usually with the help of friends and neighbours.
Poor children are also helped with medical needs e.g. epilepsy treatment, medical expenses, school uniforms and equipment, many children receive a good meal daily, supplied by the Charity.
The Area
Las Lomas de Carabayllo is a very poor community in the foothills of the Andes about 15 miles north of Lima. There are over two million people living in shanty towns on the outskirts of Lima. Currently there are approximately fifty thousand people living in the particular area in which Michael works. Approximately 70% of these families are one parent families. Usually the father is absent
The area is barren desert and has little or no services or infrastructure such as water, roads or sewage. Electricity is available in some areas only. Water is supplied by a tanker which delivers water twice a week to residents who have a barrel to hold the water, and have the money to pay for it.
Most of the dwellings where these poor families live are made of woven bamboo and plastic. Some are built with mud bricks and a smaller percentage with red bricks.
Social Infrastructure
There is no infrastructure as we would know it except for the school which is used for primary school children in the mornings and secondary school students in the afternoons.
Employment and The Economy
Unemployment in the area is high, up to 40% in some places. The main source of employment for men in the area is working in construction in the city, which is 15 miles away. For women the main source of employment is recycling and washing clothes. A smaller number travel to the city each day to work as domestic staff in houses in the wealthier areas. A small number of men and women are also involved in selling various products on street corners and at road intersections in the city, sometimes with their children. The average wage per week is for women between 75 to 100 Soles (19-25 Euros) and for men between 100 and 150 Soles (25-37 Euro) Two hundred Soles per week is necessary to give a basic standard of living to an average family. There is no social welfare of any kind available in Peru.
Climate