Something many people may not know about the Fulbright is that a Fulbright fellow is supposed to spend 1/2 the time in their country doing research and the other 1/2 of the time sharing American culture with those in the host country. As a result, I decided to throw a big Fourth of July bash in Candelaria.
The party started off with a BBQ fundraiser. Then, we played traditional games with the kids such as Capture the Flag, potato sack contest, musical chairs etc. I also hired a clown and Mickey Mouse to do a show for kids. We also had a raffle and the party really began with a castillo or the Peruvian version of fireworks. We danced all night long, until 6:30am.
The BBQ was a fundraiser for the project that I am working on in the community. In total we raised 1100 soles ($350). The project in Candelaria is 100% participatory, with the mother's making all the decisions. They decided that the greatest needs are social- a community center, workshops, classes, a nursury, and a co-op. My goal is to set the foundation for all of these things to emerge in Candelaria before I leave.
A snapshot of the community
I completed a needs assessment in Candelaria during the month of June. Here are some results:
- Most of the mother's migrated from the rural parts of the country
- Most of the mother's have less than secondary level of education (thus it is very difficult for them to help their kids with their homework)
- the majority of households earn 300-600 soles per month ($100-200).
- The average age of the mothers is 35
- The average number of children in the household is 3.7
- There are a handful number of women who are illiterate
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