Today was our final day in Chuchurras. The day started with our usual routine of breakfast, followed by an exciting ride to the community. This morning the excavator was already digging and the community was installing pipes. After introducing them to PVC primer and glue they have become self-sufficient with PVC pipe installation. Finishing touches were completed at the well house and the tanks were filled. The community has so much water now!
For lunch, the community provided the team with Ají de gallina (Rena's favorite Peruvian dish) which was excellent. They provided lunch for the whole community, with us providing the cake. Additionally, the community performed a beautiful Yanesha ceremony to show their gratitude for the work and the clean water this project provides. They decorated the gathering area with palms, beautiful flowers, fruit bowls, and performed a few traditional Yanesha dances. It's a wonderful feeling being so welcomed by these people and seeing their efforts this week is truly inspiring. Following the ceremony, we danced together and we were able to bring a taste of Minnesota to them with fake snow! They were amazed that such a thing falls from the sky for half the year. And the kids went CRAZY for it. We closed out the day by walking the door with the community leaders discussing the project, operations, and items they will continue working on after we leave. Saying goodbye is always the hardest part of these trips, but we'll be back!
Thank you to everyone who followed along to our daily blog, these projects cannot happen without support from our communities in the USA. If you have the means please consider donating to EWB-MN and the Chuchurras project. Your donation goes directly to funding projects like this that are so critical to these people's lives.
Signing out from Chuchurras and Ahuerren! (Yanesha for see you later)
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