Letter from Alicia - Solar Lights in Chupani and Chuallacocca

Dear Washi, 

I would like to report that we have completed the installation of both solar panel systems in the communities of Chupani and Chuallacocca. 

Although the trek to get our materials and ourselves there was daunting, the end results were certainly worth it.

In Chupani, we installed the panel on the roof of the school building. We used a special controller that would step down the 24V of the panel to 12V. We installed a very high quality 600W PowerBright inverter with the system. We hard-wired ceiling lighting fixtures into two classrooms, two teacher bedrooms and the kitchen. We also included a power strip for other devices to be plugged in, and additional outlets in the bedrooms and kitchen.  

Our extremely long day started at the Cusco office at 4 a.m. We drove for about 4 hours, then hiked with horses for another 4 hours before starting the installation. We slept at the facility in the teacher rooms and had dinner with them in the kitchen. The joy that we experienced was incredible. We were able to cook, eat and relax with light! 

The next day we hiked to Chuallacocca and installed a similar system on the roof of their school building. We hard-wired lighting into the school room and kitchen. Again, the teachers, children and families were thrilled with the installation. We returned last night about 11 p.m., again after hiking for about 2 hours and driving another 4 hours. 

I am happy to say that the installations went well, with everything functioning as they should. 

Thanks for the opportunity and for all your help. 

Best, 

Alicia Kozuch
Buen Power Peru

Letters from Washi - Update March 4, 2013

Dear Friends,

Gratitude from my heart and from the children and families floods victims, to PATH OF THE HEART (www.pathoftheheart.org) and ORCHIDS OF LIGHTS (www.orchidsoflight.org) and to all of you for bringing happiness by sharing the Basic needs to the families who were affected by the flooding in OllantaytamboAndean native communities last month.

The children and families were waiting for us in their community tents; they didn’t have food left from our previous visit. Today we have brought School Supplies, Solar Lights, lots of good food and vegetables to over 60 children and families. Their faces show their gratitude and appreciation to you for your support. The children and families helped us all the time while we were there with them; organizing all the materials to be share. The mothers explain to the older couples in their native Language how to use the Solar Light, to see that was just incredible experience, because you could feel their love and their passion about this gifts that came from you.

Thanks for your positive contribution and for letting us serve this 2nd time the families in Tancac, Phyri and Ollantaytambo area. In our visit, we had a great team Elizabeth, Felipe, May Rut, Victoria Alejandra, Helene Rosa, Pammela and Celia. Please continue supporting us to bring more Solar Light and food to this part of Peru.

We hope you appreciate the photos of today service, best wishes to you and your love ones, Washi.

Flood Aid Response Update - February 26, 2013

Dear Friends,

First, once again my gratitude to PATH OF THE HEART (www.pathoftheheart.org) and to all of you for letting me being part of this magnificent opportunity to share the needs to the families who were affected by the flooding in Ollantaytambo’s native communities. This morning we left Cusco around 4:00 a.m. in the morning when was dark still. The arrival to the first community, Tanqac, was around 7:00 a.m. The families were there waiting for us in the cold, because all they had at that moment was a tent the government provided to them. At this moment, they are sleeping on the ground with one blanket and it was so sad to see the little babies having to be in that situation. They didn’t have much food. Then we shared with them all that we brought with your help. These families were just grateful to you and emotional enough that we saw their tears from both the ladies and gentlemen.

Then I said to them “Hope is a good thing, maybe the best and good never dies.” At that moment they started smiling, because the positivity on their side started to show and they spoke so many positive things.

Today we have visited and shared to approximately 70 families in Tancac, Phyri, Pallata,  Chucllaracay and Ollantaytambo area. Thanks so much for your positive contribution to the families. We will always continue to do our best to help the needy families. Today we had a great team, Alicia, Elizabeth, Felix, Armando, Santos and Pedro. Please continue supporting any unexpected urgent need in this part of Peru.

Washi

URGENT NEED: Letters from Washi - Flooding in the Ollantaytambo Regions

Current Urgent Needs: Flooding in the Ollantaytambo region has left families without housing, food and basic needs. This situation is described by Washi as he encountered a terrible storm just as he left the villages where the solar projects are being built.

Dear PotH Family,

After a break in the activity in Chupani, we decided to walk down the valley to Ollantaytambo starting around 8:00 p.m., and we faced a big rain and there wasn’t any transportation to take. The rain was cruel and the only thing we had was plastic to cover ourselves. There weren’t any bridges left on the whole way. The little channels became rivers and the only way to cross was getting wet and putting ourselves in a dangerous situation. When we arrived around 11 p.m. to Rumira Sondor Mayu, the school was filled with water and the homes were collapsing. The families were helping each other to be safe and we were there in action to help as much as we could. All the roads was collapsed and we had to hike hills in order to get to the next communities, but our mission was to get to Ollantaytambo. Because my thoughts were, if those things happened here in the mountain communities, what about Ollantaytambo?

We kept walking and finally arrived to Ollantaytambo around 5 a.m. the next morning, where everything was in a chaos situation. The little rivers took many homes and families were in pain and looking for help and there wasn’t much that we could do at that moment.

Please help in any way that you can. The smallest donation can buy a blanket for a family or food for a meal. Thank you so much for your understanding and your support. Knowing that some of these communities are isolated for transportation and the only way that we can get help to them is by walking to their places and the idea is to send food and other basic necessities to them by foot. Thanks for your prayers. I am hoping for quick responses to help these families.

Washi