In August 2007, an earthquake measuring 8.0 on the moment magnitude scale hit the central coast of Peru. UNICEF responded to the emergency by providing critical supplies in the immediate aftermath, and has led longer-term efforts for recovery and rehabilitation in the earthquake zone. Kendra Flowers works with the U.S. Fund for UNICEF at our national headquarters in New York City. She's currently in Peru visiting UNICEF programs.

Monday we drove south along the Peruvian coast for three hours from Lima to Pisco, perhaps the saddest stretch of road I've ever encountered. Mounds of rubble line the sides of the road where walls and structures once stood, absurd in their perfectly neat organization, considering the total destruction and chaos they represent. The closer we came to Pisco, the more densely these mounds were organized, awaiting removal trucks that never come.

Pisco, over a year after the earthquake, still looks like a disaster zone in many places, and hearing stories from the children and parents makes one realize it still feels like yesterday to them that the earth was shaking for two solid minutes while their worlds collapsed around and on top of them.

The post Peru: Hope after heartbreak in Pisco and Chincha appeared first on UNICEF FieldNotes. ]]> http://fieldnotes.unicefusa.org/2008/10/peru_hope_after_heartbreak_in.html/feed 1 http://fieldnotes.unicefusa.org/2008/10/peru_casinos_smiles_and_ruins_1.html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=peru_casinos_smiles_and_ruins_1 http://fieldnotes.unicefusa.org/2008/10/peru_casinos_smiles_and_ruins_1.html#comments Mon, 27 Oct 2008 16:40:58 +0000 FieldNotes Administrator http://fieldnotes.unicefusa.org/2008/10/peru_casinos_smiles_and_ruins_1.html Kendra Flowers works with the U.S. Fund for UNICEF at our national headquarters in New York City. She's currently in the field with UNICEF supporters, visiting programs in Peru. I arrived in Lima last night with UNICEF supporters Chuck Meyer and Jamie Gross. The drive from the airport to our lodgings revealed the depth of the casino culture here, which could give Reno a run for its money. We are gearing up for the days ahead which I anticipate will be filled with eye-opening experiences for all of us. My first impressions of Lima The post Peru: Casinos, smiles and ruins appeared first on UNICEF FieldNotes. ]]> http://fieldnotes.unicefusa.org/2008/10/peru_casinos_smiles_and_ruins_1.html/feed 1