Scenes from FH Peru

This first set of pictures is from our Lima region where FH has worked for over 25 years in various squatter communities. This part of Lima, San Juan de Lurigancho, is Lima's most populous and poorest district. It is constantly growing as people migrate to the city in search of economic opportunities (and fleeing terrorist activities in the 80s and 90s). New squatter settlements develop amongst these rocky hills when a few families "invade" a piece of land. After 18 months or so the government typically gives these "invasions" land titles. If the community is able to organize and align themselves they can access various services from the municipality - such as water, sewer, garbage services, electricity, medical and community protection services, etc. Unfortunately, this process is seldom easy and walking with communities through these processes has long been a strength of FH/Peru.

The following pictures are from FH/Peru's Pucallpa region located in the eastern jungle department of Ucayali. FH used to work more in indigenous communities up river from the town of Pucallpa. A few years ago FH decided to focus efforts in the outskirts of Pucallpa that were growing extremely rapidly because of urban migration from the same river communities. Most of the following photos are from one rural community in Pucallpa where we still work.