When villages work together, we will turn this world around. Laqtakunaq atipayninwan, teqrimuyuta kuyuchisunchis. —Quechua Proverb
Casa Chapi
The History of Casa Chapi A long time ago (1709 to be exact) in a town not far from the
In 2011 the last bit of thatch was stitched into place, the white
Peruvian colonial city of Arequipa a committee of men
stucco gleamed under the ever present Peruvian sun and the
decided to move a
final stone had been
statue of the Virgin
laid on the pathways
Mary to the center
that would soon run
of Arequipa. Once
wild with little souls.
it was loaded, the
Casa Chapi was
donkeys could not
complete. Twenty
budge the cart. It was
children moved in and
stuck in the middle of
began attending school
the road. Suddenly
in 2012. Twenty more
the men in charge of
children moved in on
the caravan heard a
January 1, 2013.
voice emanating from the statue crying,
There are four solar
“Chaypi! Chaypi!”
powered home-style
Others heard, “Cha-
cottages with, a com-
jachay! Chajachay!”
munity health center,
and still others heard,
a kitchen-dining room,
“Chaj! Llallapi!”
a shop building, a
According to Quechua
garage, two green-
speakers these words
houses and one small
mean “right here!”
animal building, plus
Startled, the commit-
a sports field. The
tee quickly decided
Don Julio Barreda
that the Virgin Mary
memorial, the central
wanted to remain
plaza and the admin-
where she was, and so she stayed; in her home named Chapi.
istration office are all complete. Each of these buildings was made possible by the love and generosity of Quechua Benefit’s
It was not a far step from this legend to the name Casa Chapi,
donors. The children living in the Casa Chapi children’s
which was built for the little Quechua children who call
village thank you.
Chapi home.
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The Children of the Altiplano
T
he difficulty of the Quechua people’s lives is
reflected in the infant mortality figures reported
by Jorge A. Flores-Ochoa in his book Pastoralists of
the Andes. “Twenty-six percent of the infants born are dead before age one; 37.5 percent are dead before
age five; 42 percent of all babies born are dead before they reach age ten.”
Since then Quechua Benefit has served 85,000 patients with free medical and dental treatments, all provided
by volunteers. They have supported feeding programs that have delivered hundreds of thousands of free
meals. In 2011 the charity completed the construction of Casa Chapi Children’s Village which shelters some of the poorest children on earth.
In 1996, world renowned alpaca breeder Don Julio
Quechua Benefit has accomplished a lot, all through
Alpaca breeders could do to help the poor Quechua
and donors; all motivated by their love for the poor
Barreda wondered “if there was anything American
children” from his hometown of Macusani. The answer was yes and Quechua Benefit was born.
the generosity and effort of hundreds of volunteers alpaca breeders of the Peruvian highlands.
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The Children of Point and click, kids are pumping their legs in swings to see who can rise the
highest, the soccer ball emerges from a
cloud of dust and ten sets of arms reach for the skies as the ball rockets through
the goal. Click and the lens captures the strain of concentration as a little girl
solves a math problem. These photos could find their way into almost any family album almost anywhere.
The kids of Casa Chapi would not have
been in these pictures a few years ago.
Back then their smiles were likely harder to find. The hugs were nonexistent.
Children often arrive at Casa Chapi from shattered homes, the fear plainly on
their faces as they seek to avoid contact. It takes a month, maybe two before the
smiles blossom and the exuberance born of innocence and trust begins to emerge.
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Casa Chapi Elena is not her real name but she is a star. Her family raises alpacas in a remote area far from Casa Chapi. Elena is tiny for her 6 years of age. She has eight brothers and sisters that have never seen the inside of a school room. The family speaks Quechua as their primary language but Elena spoke Spanish well enough to go to school when she arrived at the children’s village 11 months ago. She loves to attend the remedial homework sessions after school each day, she is reading Spanish at her grade level and her marks from the teachers are steadily rising. Elena’s mile wide smile flashes at the mere mention of school. Paulo is not his real name, his mother is dead and his father is a schizophrenic. He is a little quiet and recedes to the back of the choir but when he begins his solo the whole room falls silent. His voice is a pure and clear joy that tends to the higher notes that reflect his age of 12 years. Paulo loves math and spends an hour after the tutor leaves poring over his study guide. He excels at school and seems to be coming out of his shell.
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School at Casa Chapi In 2014 Quechua Benefit signed an agreement with the Peruvian Ministry of Education to locate a school on the grounds of Casa Chapi. The arrangement was made in recognition of the high regard that Casa Chapi is held in the local community. There are several financial benefits that accrue to Casa Chapi as a result: The Ministry of Education is paying for three teachers who also serve as cottage God Mothers (Madrinas). As a result of the school designation Casa Chapi has substantially reduced
the transportation costs of moving the children to and from the local schools. In the future the Ministry has pledged its support to help Casa Chapi extend electricity to the project from Chivay. More than anything this new partnership signals Casa Chapi’s acceptance and is a seal of approval from the Peruvian Government. The Minister of Education told the Quechua Benefit Board of Directors that they hope Casa Chapi will serve as a model for similar projects in the highlands.
The Casa Chapi Sports program In May of 2014 Casa Chapi with help from David Tracy, a volunteer from Ireland, initiated the first organized sports program at Casa Chapi. He helped find local coaches and began organized practises. In July Casa Chapi’s Soccer and Volleyball teams participated in their first matches against children from other schools, all of which were played on Casa Chapi’s grounds. The girl’s volleyball team played a close game against a team from Chivay but eventually lost out 25-18. Considering many of the girls on the other side
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were three or four years older than Casa Chapi’s squad the end result was a very respectable loss. The boys had better luck in the first game winning 3-0 to rapturous applause from the rest of Casa Chapi’s students. Afterwards all of the children gathered in Casa Chapi’s dining hall for snacks. It was a wonderful opportunity for the children, all from different schools, to get to know one another. Later Padre Marcos, the local priest who organised the teams from Chivay, and Wendy, our weekend manager, handed out prizes to the winning teams.
Casa Chapi Student to Staff Ratio
Extreme English Institute In July of 2014 Casa Chapi held its first Extreme English Camp.
Quechua Benefit prides itself on the personal attention that is given to each of the children under their care. The chart below compares several children’s homes and schools that Quechua Benefit supports. Our ratio of 3 to 1 is pretty close to the kind of attention a child in a small family would receive.
SCHOOL BOYS GIRLS TEACHERS ADMIN SUPPORT STUDENT/ STAFF STAFF STAFF RATIO
This program will run on every second Saturday. Five English teachers come to teach both the children and the weekend staff on Saturday evening and Sunday morning and afternoon.
Mira Sol
22
26
3
1
2
8/1
Killawasi
16
18
2
3
1
5.7/1
Musqa Runa
28
1
1
3
5.6/1
The Extreme English Institute is a well regarded private English school based in Arequipa.
Gloria’s School
59
40
7
6
3
6.2/1
Casa Chapi
19
20
4
2
7
3/1
7
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The Staff of Casa Chapi Alejandro Tejada is the supervisor of Casa Chapi. He oversees every detail of its operation and reports directly to the Quechua Alejandro Tejada BOD. Alejandro was also in charge of the construction at Casa Chapi and is the team leader of our ongoing medical and dental missionary work in local communities. In the past he managed the Alpaca Fiesta alpaca show in Peru and was the person responsible for facilitating participation in the show. He has extensive experience managing projects in the highland alpaca communities for the local municipalities.
Karen and Wendy are the co-managers of the children’s village. One of them is present onsite at all times. Together they set the schedules, program activities, lead group sessions and supervise the staff. Both are in their 20’s. Karen is a social worker, who studied for five years at the University of San Augustine. She is from Achoma Karen which is just down the road from Casa Chapi. Her room over the Snowmass clinic is neat and clean and her office desk is organized with folders for the bills she is paying and the kids she will see that day. As she sits in the community dining hall kids are constantly landing in her lap or hugging her arm.
About 95% of the kids have a relative that participates in life at Casa Chapi.
Wendy is a psychologist who also studied for five years at San Augustine. In addition to her other duties she works with Wendy the kids who are having problems. Wendy is proud of the work she does with the extended families of the children. Mothers help with the hand washed laundry on Saturdays and family violence clinics are held monthly.
The Values at Casa Chapi An art paper sign is draped across the living room of the Miller cottage, the multicolored letters spell :
Ama Llulla – Ama Sua – Ama Quella
The Values at Casa Chapi Translated from Quechua they mean;
don’t lie, don’t steal and don’t be lazy. An art paper sign is draped across the living room of the Miller cottage, the multicolored letters spell There are two core values at the heart of Casa Ama Llulla – Ama Sua – Ama Quella Chapi’s philosophy: love and discipline. The children are taught Translated from Quechua they mean; don’t lie, don’t steal and don’tthe be value lazy. of honesty and sympathy with their broader community as well as friendship andthe respect forto each other. These The Madrinas are given latitude manage There are two core values at the heart of Casa messages are communicated in group sessions and discipline their own family in their particuChapi’s philosophy: love and discipline. The and during individual counseling. A different lar parenting style. They conduct Bible studies, children are taught the value of honesty and value isschool studied each week. and a Sunday class that teaches parables sympathy with their broader community as well as friendship and respect for each other. These messages are communicated in group sessions and during individual counseling. A different value is studied each week.
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from the Bible. One is a trained nurse technician, Madrina’s givenkids the and latitude anotherThe is the mother are of three livestoinmanage their own family in their particular Chivay. Margot at the Finbow cottage is 41parenting years They conduct Bible studies, a Sunday old andstyle. is choirmaster for the Casa Chapiand Choir. school class that teaches parables from the Bible. One is a trained nurse technician, another is the
Peruvian support for Casa Chapi Quechua Benefit’s goal is to bring the charity of alpaca breeders outside of Peru to the poorest Quechua alpaca breeders: people who are often without advocates. This cannot be done in a vacuum and the cooperation from different levels of Peruvian society is essential to expanding our ability to fulfill the mission. It takes time to gain the necessary trust but Quechua Benefit is increasingly recognized for doing the right thing when presented with an opportunity.
The Municipality of Chivay In 2013 the local officials supplied the funds to finish the upstairs of the Snowmass health center into rooms for staff and volunteers. In 2014 The Municipality of Chivay built and paid for small grand stands for the sports field inside the Casa Chapi compound.
The Peruvian Ministry of Education In addition to funding the teachers for the new school at Casa Chapi the Ministry is providing books, school supplies, and supervision of the curriculum. In the future they will be supplying teaching assistants and funding for additional God Mothers and assistants. All of this is a great help to Quechua Benefit which struggles to meet its operating budget each year. The Peruvian Ministry of Women is processing a request by Quechua Benefit through their Qali Warma program that will provide breakfast throughout the year for the kids at Casa Chapi.
The local mining companies The local mines have been a referral resource for needy children who deserve to live at Casa Chapi. They also pay for or supply meat, supplies and clothing for the kids. In 2013 they paid the entire cost of room, board and transportation for Quechua Benefit’s medical mission to Macusani and Corani.
The Peruvian American Cultural Center The Peruvian American Cultural Center in Arequipa is partnering with The Grace Institute Art Camp to bring an annual art camp to Casa Chapi. They will supply artists and translators who will work with American volunteers to put on a five day art camp for the kids who live at Casa Chapi and another 40 scholarship kids from the local community. Together they teach the children to interpret the Quechua culture using the art mediums of paint, sculpture, glass making, weaving, jewelry and photography. The Ministry is excited about the program which is consistent with their goal to feature the Quechua culture to the kids of the Quechua community.
Praise from the Community “I have been to countless orphanages around the world
and International Children’s
Network (ICN) partners with
many wonderful orphanages that make us proud.
That said, I have not seen
a facility that compares to
Casa Chapi! The work that Quechua Benefit has done at this children’s home is
beyond belief with a school, a medical clinic and big
bedrooms for the children.
The view, to me, is every bit as amazing as Machu Pichu and the care the children
receive is just like a loving family.
The word from those who
I know in Chivay is that the children who live at Casa Chapi are “blessed and lucky!”
Everyone involved in the support of Casa Chapi should be proud that
every penny is used for
the complete blessing and care of some of Peru’s neediest children!”
—Don Windham, President International Children’s Network Matsiko World Orphan Choir
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The Snowmass Community Nicholas and Heidi Skinner joined
and tooth decay. It was difficult to see
Peru. Their family, Snowmass Alpacas,
but it was good to know we were
the 2012 Quechua Benefit Mission in
sponsored the building of the Snowmass Community Health Center at
Casa Chapi. They were there to attend the grand opening of the state-of-theart health and wellness center which
The Snowmass Community Health Center provides holistic health care, social welfare services, nutrition, optometry and pre natal services to both the residents of Casa Chapi and the surrounding areas.
was conceived by Don and Julie Skinner to serve the entire Colca Valley.
Nicholas had the following observa-
tion after spending the week serving
the poor who lined up at the gates of Casa Chapi:
“A variety of patients came in to be
Since its inception the health center has supported missions in more than 40 towns that have provided more than 10,000 patients with medical and dental care, and cataract surgeries.
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helping them as best we could. My
favorite part of doing the service work was seeing the gratitude in the faces
of people we were helping. When the work felt tedious and I found myself getting overwhelmed, a gracious
smile from a patient was all it took to rekindle my spirit.”
“ In the course of our
short stay we treated over 1700 people!
”
treated for a variety of issues. Com-
“For our last evening we held a
vitamin deficiency, malnutrition,
opening of Casa Chapi and the Clinic.
mon issues included arthritis pain,
The clinic also serves as the base of operation many missions each year that reach out to remote communities in the alpaca breeding highlands.
the illness of some of these people,
digestive issues, stomach parasites,
ceremony to recognize the successful My sister and I cut the ribbon to offi-
cially open the Snowmass Community Health Center, after which the local
priest gave a benediction. Many
dignitaries were in attendance, including the mayor.
After the ceremony we spent the rest of the
evening distributing clothes and shoes
to our Casa Chapi kids. The look on their faces was priceless. It was a
beautiful last evening.”
Health Center “While my sister and I expected a
children we quickly grew to love them
nothing could have prepared us for
we gained was a genuine appreciation
great experience during this mission, the deep impact it would leave in our
hearts. In our short time spent with the
like our own family. The greatest thing for the necessity of charity, service, and unconditional love.”
“Witnessing the
resilience of the Quechua people in the face of their struggles will stick with me as a humbling reminder during my own challenges.
”
— Nicholas and Heidi Skinner
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The future of Casa Chapi Casa Chapi Hopes to continue
growing and serving the children from the poorest families in
The Chapel We need your help to build the Chapel at Casa Chapi. The building fund was created by Lisa and Perry Darley of Virginia to pay
the alpaca breeding highlands.
for the construction of the Chapel. In July of 2014 the fund totaled
classrooms and cottages in the
to construct the Chapel. We need to raise an additional $20,000.00
We hope to build the Chapel,
$23,718.00 which is enough to pay for all of the material necessary
near future which will allow us to
to pay for the labor or we need to find a volunteer organization to
expand and serve 100 children. The future is in our supporters, volunteers and donors hands.
The Board of Directors of Que-
chua Benefit pledge to be good
stewards of the trust and precious resources that you choose to
make available to the children of Casa Chapi.
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donate the labor. Each donor who finds it in their heart to contribute to the building fund will be commemorated along with our lead
benefactors, Perry and Lisa, on a brass plaque at the entry to the
Chapel. Please contact us at info@quechua benefit.org if you would like to help.
Future building projects at Casa Chapi The classroom building The Peruvian Ministry of Education has asked Quechua
the classrooms. The charity hopes to raise the cost of
provide four additional classrooms and an administrative
the mining companies operating in Peru.
Benefit to build a new building at Casa Chapi that would office. The Ministry’s architects designed the building in
construction labor from donors in the United States and
accordance with the ministry’s specifications. It will be
The new classrooms will allow Casa Chapi to offer
the traditional style of Casa Chapi.
particularly important to the little ones who begin their
approximately 30 feet wide and 60 feet long and built in
Quechua Benefit has identified an organization, PAZ PERU, who may fund the cost of the material required to build
schooling through the completion of high school which is education at Casa Chapi. The design and approval of
the building by the Ministry of Education is a key step in making this dream a reality.
Four additional cottages The four existing cottages, each with their own Madrina
allow the kids who begin at Casa Chapi to finish school
by age group: 4 to 6, 7 to 8, and 9 through 12. The daily
at risk.
operate as an individual family unit. They are organized schedule with meal times, chores, study hall and free
without going back to their communities and being put
time is detailed for each hour and day of the week.
The four new cottages are an expensive dream.
Quechua Benefit hopes, in the near future, to build
reach for the stars.
four more cottages for kids from 10 to 16 which will
We hope you are willing to help us
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Volunteers: the heart and soul of our success
Why do people donate their hard earned money, participate in the medical missions, contribute their skills, and volunteer for a largely forgotten people living at least a remote 5,000 miles from their homes?
It is easy to recite Quechua Benefit’s accomplishments; 85,000 patients and counting have received free medical and dental treatments, all provided by
volunteers; the support of feeding programs that
have provided hundreds of thousands of free meals, and the construction of a Casa Chapi Children’s Village that shelters some of the poorest children on earth. Quechua Benefit has accomplished a lot, all through the
generosity and effort of hundreds of volunteers. But all of this explains what and how: not why.
The capacity of volunteers to do good is remarkable. Volunteerism is born of the idea that the more fortunate among us should give back. It is sustained by sacrifices of time,
treasure, and personal comfort.
Love is the common denominator... that Quechua Benefit can find in all the individual acts of charity that the volunteers and donors have so consciously made to the charity. These acts of love are for our Quechua neighbors. The Quechua people are deserving of our charity, not because they are alpaca breeders, although that is what attracted us to them in the first place, but because they deserve to be loved.
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The love that moves donors and volunteers to help our Quechua neighbors is like that between a mother or father and child or an uncle or aunt, it is a familial love. This love soars on the wings of hope.
“Love seeketh not itself to please, Nor for itself hath any care, But for another gives its ease And builds a Heaven in Hell’s despair.
”
—William Blake
How you can help Quechua Benefit is proud of the fact that we are a volunteer organization, no member of the Board of Directors receives a salary or monetary
compensation. The missions to Peru are based on our guiding principle of “volunteerism” and each mission team member pays their way to Peru, room, board and transportation while they are in country. From 2008
through 2013, 86.8% of Quechua Benefit’s total donations went directly to programs in Peru; 7.02% went to management expenses and; 6.18% paid for the cost of fundraising.
The cost of operating Casa Chapi is high. We need to raise more than
$10,000.00 per month just to keep the doors open. We cannot do that without you.
Please our visit our website
www.quechuabenefit.org www.casachapi.org or contact Daryl Gohl, President of Quechua Benefit at 503 407 4953,
Bill Beranek, Treasurer at 832 647 6347
or Mike Safley, Secretary at 503 703 6020 or any of our nine Board of Directors listed on the back page of this brochure.
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Praise from the Community “One never quite knows what to expect when arriving at
a non-profit project under-
way somewhere in the world.
Often the need for talent, time and treasure is readily appar-
ent, but arriving at Casa Chapi feels like arriving home.
Home, with clean rooms,
Board of Directors Daryl Gohl, President 503 407 5943 • dgohl@columbiamistalpacas.com William Beranek, Treasurer 832 647 6347 • wberanek@gmail.com
healthy food, welcome,
Dr Dwight Bailey, General Practitioner 276 971 4765 • dlbaileymd@netscape.net
tance of all who come there.
Chad Colton, Attorney 503 295 3085 • ChadColton@mhgm.com
We need Casa Chapi where it
is, doing what it does, provid-
Dr Rhonda Deschner, Pediatrician 512 753 9962 • tierra@alpacausa.com
discover their own greatness.
Dr Charles Gulotta, Child Development and Nutrition 443 928 9226 • qbchuckg@yahoo.com
right; paying attention to the
Dr Wayne Jarvis, Oral Surgeon 585 721 0498 • wayne@jarvisfamily.net
making the dream a reality
by infusing love, enthusiasm,
Ursula Munro, Registered Nurse 207 415 9565 • umunro@me.com
to the children and families
Mike Safley, Secretary 503 703 6020 • mike@quechuabenefit.org
warmth and a loving accep-
ing a safe place for children to Quechua Benefit is doing it details, dreaming big and
support and encouragement they are serving.
To be sure, there will always
be a need for more time, tal-
ent and treasure, and Quechua Benefit’s Casa Chapi is no exception. But they are making sure the love is there first, it
is up to all of us to help them out with the rest.”
—The Rev. Esme J. R. Culver
Steve Johnson, Administrator 503 628 3110 • info@quechuabenefit.org
www.quechuabenefit.org www.casachapi.org Find us on Facebook
Quechua Benefit PO Box 69037, Portland OR 97239 503 703 6020 Carla Villanueva Executive Secretary Quechua Benefit Peru Calle Santa Catalina 115 Of. 10 Cercado, Arequipa, Peru Phone: 051-54- 214177
Children’s Village