Student Community Kitchen in Peru

We are happy to inform you that NWB has obtained funding of $ 20,000 from the Louise-Grenier Foundation to build a community kitchen for low-income students at the Instituto de Educacion Superior Tecnologico Publico – Damaso Laberge (IESTP-DL). IISF hopes that this project will help reduce the food insecurity of IESTP students. This funding was made possible by NWB’s membership in the Quebec Association of International Cooperation Organizations (AQOCI).

A HUMANITARIAN PROJECT

Since May 2014, NWB and its partner the IESTP-DL have been planning a project to build a community kitchen. This project responds to the pressing need of students living in residence at the IESTP-DL who are unable to afford adequate food. Indeed, the hundred or so students attending the IESTP-DL in vocational training come from remote villages in the Amazon and come from families with very low income. Despite their great motivation to continue their studies, food insecurity threatens their success: an empty stomach and being hungry, gastralgia, caloric and protein malnutrition, immunosuppression, infectious diseases, fatigue, reduced attention, failure and dropping out of school. To ensure food security, this project involves building a community cafeteria-style kitchen to provide students with affordable meals. At the request of NWB, the partner planned the progress of the project, the budget and has built the building. Thanks to the grant, NWB and IESTP-DL will be able to complete the project by enlarging the newly constructed building, constructing an artesian well, purchasing kitchen equipment and furniture as well as constructing four showers.

The student community kitchen at the IESTP-DL in Indiana.

A SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT PROJECT

On a social level, the kitchen will allow students to access balanced, affordable meals. This food security will motivate students to continue their studies. The project will also develop the relational and organizational capacities of the students, because the IESTP-DL will ask them to participate in the development of the kitchen through voluntary activities.

At the economic level, the project will maximize local resources to encourage the economic development of the community. First, jobs will be created at the IESTP-DL, especially for women who have traditionally had cooking skills. Also, the profits from the kitchen will be entirely reinvested by the IESTP-DL for its maintenance and the purchase of kitchen equipment. In addition, with the profits collected, the IESTP-DL will be able to start new projects.

Finally, at the environmental level, IESTP-DL’s expertise in agriculture will be put to good use in order to minimize ecological impacts. The creation of a vegetable garden and a composting system could be complementary projects undertaken by the students.

THE PARTNERS

IESTP-DL is a professional training institution in the education, nursing and sustainable agriculture sectors. It is located in the village of Indiana, in the Peruvian Amazon, 45 minutes by boat from Iquitos.

Mr. Mario Brûlé, president of NWB and Mr. Herman Dantas Perez, director of IESTP-DL.

NWB sincerely thanks the generosity of the Louise Grenier Foundation for allowing the creation of the Comedor Estudiantil EESF-IESTP Damaso Laberge which will improve the quality of life of the student and teaching community.