DEVELOPMENT AND AID

SOCIAL OUTREACH IN THE DIOCESE

NGO COMUNIÓN-PERÚ

The Aid and Development NGO was formed by the Diocese to develop our commitment to social outreach work. The Diocese is firmly committed to serving the poor and every sort of need. As we see so much poverty, suffering and injustice round about us, the words of Christ in the parable of the Sheep and Goats ring in our hearts, ‘As you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’ (Mt.25:40)

All our churches are encouraged and urged to be committed to those in need, in whatever way they can, to look in the neighbourhood round about and ask what we can do to serve. We believe this is basic to our faith and the example Jesus has given us to follow.

The NGO is based in the Diocesan Centre and has facilities on the third floor. Besides the director of the NGO, called the DEACON, to remind us all that the NGO is there to serve, we employ a full time nurse and social worker. We are fully committed to the Millenium Development Goals of the United Nations in their fight against poverty. These are some of the programmes and projects we are involved in:

DEVELOPMENT

The Arpilleras project which creates collages from material depicting scenes from Peruvian life. Three groups.
The prison ministry in the Women’s Prison in Chorrillos, which organises handicraft work and provides for mothers who give birth in the prison and their babies.
The Ducks Project, which teaches groups to raise ducks for food or sale.
Gardens, which teaches women to cultivate small plots of ground near their houses using ‘second hand water’ and aims to improve the family’s diet.
The ‘Manos que Crean’ (Creative Hands) project in two churches of South Lima, teaching shoe making, bakery, dress making, jewelry. It is hope that both these projects will be supported by the Mothers’ Union in London.
A tailoring project for handicapped people.

HEALTH

A Health Centre; another is being built in Villa María
Mobile Medical Campaigns in the shanty towns.
The Shalom Centre for physically and mentally handicapped.
A medical post in Arequipa is being planned.
Doctors of Medical Mission International are taken to villages in the mountains by the St Philip’s clergy, who act as guides and interpreters.

CHILDREN

NUTRITION. Many children in the shanty towns lack adequate nutrition, which also effects their studies. We have feeding projects in Cristo Redentor(SJM), Sma. Trinidad (SJM), San Mateo(SJL), San Juan Evanglista (SJM), San Andrés(Puente Piedra), San Patricio - Descapacitados (Ventanilla), and Jesús Fuente de Vida (Independencia).
CHILDREN’S HOMES. The Diocese runs two children’s homes, both in Arequipa, San José (St Joseph’s) for younger children, and Sagrada Familia (Holy Family) for adolescentes.
CHILDREN’S ‘DEFENCE’ CENTRES. The Defensoría Posada de Belen (The Inn of Bethlehem) is a programme centrally organised by the Government’s Ministry of Women. The Diocese is affiliated to this programme and runs workshops and provides centres of attention for children and young people who may suffer from any sort of abuse, physical, verbal, sexual.
CHILDREN’S COMPASSION CENTRES. The Diocese works with Compassion International in four centres Cristo Redentor, San Juan Evangelista, Jesús El Salvador and San Pedro. The centres strengthen children’s studies, provide a proper lunch, medical care, and develop personal gifts and and faith. The San Pedro project works with mothers and babies.

DISASTER RELIEF

Following the earthquake in 2007, the NGO sent relief teams - volunteers, seminarians and members of the Church - to work among the striken people. Through the financial gifts we received, the teams were able to provide first aid and soup kitchens for over five months, and offered comfort, support and practical care of those hospitalised far from home. We were able to respond quickly and effectively in areas that the bigger organisations were not able or did not reach. In all things the teams worked with discipline and in full communication with the authorities, and the work of Anglican Church and its NGO was recognised by both the Red Cross and the Government.