Eagle Condor Humanitarian (ECH) is committed to implementing lasting solutions to break generational poverty for children, families and communities. We do this focusing on needed projects within the 4 Pillars of Self-Reliance.

Project Focus: Internship partnerships, working one-on-one with over 80 children and young adults, create a greater array of options by developing skills for personal growth and self-reliance. Project Story: The Aldea Infantil is an orphanage to the south of Trujillo, Peru, managed by Sra. Blanca Esther Castillo Martell. Homes in this orphanage (shelters housing 10 children each with a small kitchen and living room) are a European concept built with government aid. Up-keep, daily needs of the children and educational programs have been left to those running the home.   Additional Expedition Help: The Aldea is in great need of upkeep to their buildings.  ECH is hoping to send an expedition in 2013 focusing on repairs and maintenance.

Project: Chiclayo – Peru

Project Focus: Business Development and Micro-Enterprise

Project Story: Chiclayo, the fourth largest city in Peru, which has approximately one million inhabitants. Founded in the 16th century as an outlying district of the older town of Lambayeque, the unemployment rate unfortunately now reaches more than 60% in this area. Sixty-four percent of the families in Lambayeque are categorized as the poorest of the poor (living on less than $1 per person per day). There are few programs in the north area to help small businesses to develop and grow. Countless families survive on a budget of $US 30.00 a month and many families live outside Chiclayo in sandy desert areas without water, sewer systems and sometimes electricity. Those that have employment are often underpaid; in order to maintain employment they, work long hours and more than five days a week, including holidays and Sundays to keep their jobs. The migration to other countries or to Lima is high, especially for the younger generation, not always solving their problems.

Example of successful Micro-Loan Training:

Before – Cesar was traveling out of Chiclayo each day for work and not making enough cover the monthly expenses to provide for his family.  Cesar learned of ECH and sought training. Cesar’s initial loan was $350 which allowed the family to buy their first oven.

After - César and his wife Carmen now own an empanada business. The days are long and each day they bake about 500 empanadas. They are happy they have a successful business.  “We have enough for food, and it is easier to pay the school fees for my daughter. Now we have daily income.  Before, we often fell short and did not have money for our basic expenses until the end of the month when my husband was paid. Now, we even have a little put aside in case of an emergency.”

Carmen is energetically planning for the future. “We are hoping to expand our products soon, we are going to grow!” she said. “I love work, I love our business.”

Project: El Bichito – Peru

Project Focus: Over 70 children are provided 1 meal and ECH interns in exchange for going to school, doing homework and developing personal skills for success  Project Story: The “Little Bug” is located in the small town of Puyllucana, in the province of Cajamarca, Peru (2,500mts above sea level), about an hour flight from Lima, Peru. This center was started by Graciela Colle, from Argentine descent, who after a trip to Peru began thinking of ways to help the children she saw on the streets. With the help of Eagle Condor hundreds of children have been helped off the street and into school. Additional Expedition Help: Expeditions will soon established a literacy center and computer lab.  Currently we are working to build the third story to provide more long term skill training workshops.

Project: Huata – Sacred Valley, Peru

Project Focus: This small village, comprised of about 1000 people (about 200 children) and located high in the Andean Mountains, desperately needed help with their elementary and a preschool.

Project Story: Electricity has now been wired for each school, bathrooms have been built for the elementary school and a new roof has been constructed. Electricity has given the schools programing for educational shows and the ability to use the school as a community center at night. Finishing the bathroom for the elementary school has given the children a sanitary place to clean, and the ability to function more effectively at school and the roof provides a shelter for the extreme conditions.

Additional Expedition Help: Our next step is to help update the library and provide interns to help teachers and children learn English.

Project: Iquitos

Project Focus: Business and Career Development/Micro-Enterprise. Specifically, Eagle Condor is working with self-reliant associations to inspire and create the framework for more entrepreneurial opportunities and end generational poverty. Project Story: Iquitos (Spanish pronunciation: [iˈkitos]) is the largest city in the Peruvian rainforest with a population of 406,340. Located on the Amazon River, it is only 106 m above sea level. During the rainy season many of the homes float! Iquitos is the largest city in the world that can only be reached by airplane or boat. Additional Expedition Help: ECH expedition projects work hand and hand with community goals set by people in each self-reliant associations. A true example of people bridging cultures to lift each other in ways they could not have done it alone.

Project: Piura – Peru

Project Focus: Business and Career Development/Micro-Enterprise.

Project Story: Piura is a city in northwestern Peru and is the capital of the Piura Region and the Piura Province.  The population is approximately 400,000.  It was here that Spanish Conqueror Francisco Pizarro founded the first Spanish city in South America, San Miguel de Piura, in 1532, thus earning the modern day city its Peruvian nickname:  “La Primera Ciudad”- meaning: the first city. Piura served as the first main port through which the Inca gold the Spaniards had gathered was shipped back to Spain.  Although rich in culture, the conditions are difficult.

Example of successful Micro-Loan Training:

Humberto, a father of three and grandfather of four, has worn many hats in his life.  After years of lean living, he opened a food stand in Piura´s busy central market.  Each morning he made ceviche, a popular Peruvian dish made of fish marinated in lime juice.  Over the years he amassed a loyal following of clients.  However, his business was limited because he was serving his food from a small cart with very little room for the people to eat.  With his first loan, he purchased a larger cart that had seating space for six. Because the cart was more visible, he also attracted new clients.  Now, he serves more than 350 people daily!

Humberto has also benefited from the business workshops he attends as part of the lending process.  In these classes, he has learned how to manage his income.  He decided he needed to invest some of the money he was earning in a new business.  He and his wife used a $4000 loan to purchase a taxi that they rent to a driver each day.  The business has been so successful they have since purchased three additional taxis, and between the two companies they have eight employees working for them.  They now feel at peace because they are financially secure and no longer have to worry about having enough to meet their basic needs and they will be able to take care of themselves when they can no longer work.

Humberto attributes much of his current success to the loans and training he received from Eagle Condor.  “I am so grateful,” he said. I am not the only person that has been blessed by the loans I have received.  All of our victories are shared with our family.”

Project: Salkantay School – Cusco, Peru

ECH is supporting the Salkantay School with materials and educational supervision. Salkantay is located 10 km from Cuzco in the hills above Sacsaywaman. Past and ongoing projects include greenhouses, school and community bathrooms, 30 family bathrooms, school greenhouse, water projects, fish project, town plaza with fountain and grass, community kitchen, computer lab, library, and improved classrooms. For three years, ECH helped the community by providing teachers in K, 3-4 and 5-6 grades. The lives of the villagers have changed because of the influence of many volunteer expeditioners and interns.

Project: Yantalo – Peru
In partnership with the Yantalo Foundation, ECH expedition participants have worked on the construction of the Yantalo Clinic. Project work included: cement frame construction and disassembly, organizing, shaping, and cutting rebar and wire work for cement frames, preparing frames for cement pouring, etc.  ECH has also delivered humanitarian donations to local elementary school and dug and planted Yucca trees for reforesting.