In the many years of traveling to Latin America ARE has had the honor of meeting individuals and organizations dedicated to making change and improving the lives of individuals in numerous communities. We believe that their stories and struggles should be heard and admired and we have dedicated this part of our web page to support their efforts.

In many instances, individuals traveling with ARE have had the opportunity to meet with some of the people featured below. Travelers can make donations to these organizations directly or through ARE.

CEPRODEP- A grass-roots Peruvian non-profit organization established in 1986 by Andean farm leaders, intellectuals and regional authorities that found themselves in the capital Lima as refugees from the political violence that affected the Southern Andean region in the 80's. The goal of CEPRODEP is to build a peaceful civil society developing preventive strategies against violence, promoting education, conflict resolution and capacitating women for leadership roles. CEPRODEP is also active in creating alternative models for development of rural communities, and micro-economic development. To date, CEPRODEP is involved with 31 marginalize urban and rural communities and had direct impact on 8,116 families. At the moment CEPRODEP is researching ways to develop a program to reach an assist children an youth with the trauma from the war.

For more information:
Email: postmast@ceprodep.org.pe
Web page: www.ceprodep.org.pe

Mother Antonia - A tireless Maryknoll sister working miracles with little resources in the village of Yanque located in the Colca Canyon near Arequipa, Peru. Madre Antonia feed over 800 people a day, provides the community with health care and is at the moment building a library for the local children.

Mario Vargas Llosa, Peruvian most famous writer mentions Madre Antonia on the award- winning book "Discovering the Colca," published in 1987:

Another marvel of the Colca is Mother Antonia. She lives with other "gringitas" like herself-Mother Mariella and Mother Rosemarie-in what was the sacristy of the church of Yanque, some rooms of glacial stone which the three little Maryknoll nuns warm with their kindness and good humor. Mother Mariella is a doctor and the other two work sometimes as nurses. They also act as teachers and social assistants. But really they are peasants who live on what they can produce on their piece of land which lies next to the church. It is enough to see their hands and feet to realize how rough it is to work the land under the conditions prevailing in the Colca, and to understand to what extent these women have become integrated into the society in which they live. What winds brought this New Yorker from the Bronx to Peru? Good winds, there is no doubt. To speak with her, to listen to her relate anecdotes, is pure delight -
Mario Vargas Llosa

Mother Antonia's real name is Dorothy Kayser. To contact Mother Antonia you can contact ARE or write to: Dorothy Kayser, Apartado 1255 , Arequipa, Peru

The Native Community of Infierno - The Infierno Ecotourism Project is a joint ecotourism venture between a Peruvian private company, Rainforest Expeditions, and the Ese'eja Native Community of Infierno located in the Tambopata Candamo Reserved Zone. The project's principal objective is the implementation and operation of an eco-lodge in the territory of the Ese'eja Native Community of Tambopata, to be co-managed by community members.

The importance of the project lies in the establishment of a natural and cultural resource use mechanism that is profitable both economically and ecologically, allowing the community income-generation alternatives which do not involve the direct natural resource use that has extended throughout the Tambopata Basin.

The project also promotes the cultural and ethnic identity of the native population in the community because it is based on the rescue of traditional resource management and conservation practices that are functional to the ecotourism marketplace.


For more information: www.perunature.com/info06.htm

The Ronald McDonald House of the Twin Cities - The Ronald McDonald House of the Twin Cities is a home-away-from-home for families whose children are being treated for cancer and other life-threatening illness. There are 206 Ronald McDonald Houses all over the world, but each House is independently owned and operated. Each Ronald McDonald House is also slightly different, designed to meet the medical needs of the specific community in which they are built. The Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota, are internationally known for outstanding pediatric critical care. Families travel from all over the United States and the world for their child to have a bone marrow or solid organ transplant. These families must stay a minimum of 100 days, so they actually live a long time at the Ronald McDonald House and have tremendous financial and emotional needs. The community that is created at the Ronald McDonald House is what creates the magic of this healing environment. Andean & RainForest Expeditions LLC is proud to support the Ronald McDonald House.

For more information contact ARE or please write to Meg Katzman, executive director for the RMH at: mkatzman@rmhmpls.com or call the House at (612) 331-5752