Wednesday, February 8, 2012

US Ambassador, Rose Likins, Visits Poroto!

US Ambassador to Peru, Rose Likins
Introducing La Embajadora to our host families

Explaining that Peace Corps exemplifies the best of the "American Spirit"

My wonderful youth leaders explaining the youth entrepreneurship and health promoter programs they've participated in with me

Poroto's Mayor welcoming the ambassador to the beautiful district of Poroto

During the celebration of the Peace Corps 50th anniversary, various Peace Corps volunteers were invited to an elegant party and reception at the residence of the US Ambassador in Lima. Donned in our finest attire, we were able to mingle with important Peruvian and American diplomats, embassy workers, and Peace Corps staff. The ambassador’s residence was quite impressive, and the event indicated the importance of the ambassador’s position in strategic Peru/US relations. The formality of the event was quite a distinct departure from our typical lives and work as Peace Corps volunteers, but a nice chance to celebrate the history of the organization.

I was recently contacted by our country director in regards to planning a special trip for the US Ambassador. She wanted to see the work of a Peace Corps volunteer first hand by visiting their site and meeting their community. My site-mate, Lindsey, is working on an extensive healthy lifestyle and “cocinas mejoradas” project and I’ve worked closely with my health post on various successful health promotion and youth focused projects. Although this trip was still only a possibility, we were both simultaneously excited and nervous at the prospect of hosting the ambassador here in our tiny Peace Corps community. We contacted community counterparts and created a tentative schedule, highlighting our projects and involvement in Poroto. After some deliberation, we were selected to host the ambassador and showcase the work of Peace Corps first hand. Wasting no time, we informed our work partners, students involved in our summer education classes, and health promoters that an important visitor from the US would be coming. Many of the participants in our projects live in far away caserios with no phone service or transportation, so informing them of this important meeting was a bit of a task. However, we managed to organize a schedule that highlighted the broad work we’ve been doing and confirm the participation of various community members.

I was recently in Lima for an advisory council meeting with office staff, when we found out the mayor of Trujillo had changed the ambassador’s meeting time only 2 days before the planned event, which required us to reprogram the ambassador’s visit for a day earlier. I rushed home from Lima and both Lindsey and I spent Tuesday running (literally) around the district of Poroto, communicating the changed schedule with the many health promoters living in isolated caserios, preparing presentations with our counterparts, and encouraging the participation of local authorities. Despite our excitement, we were nervous because of the last minute schedule change, and after a full day of planning we could do little more than go to bed and hope for the best.

We woke up early on Wednesday morning and received the full support of our health post staff, who had also arrived early to clean, set up the room, and prepare for the presentation. Before long, a caravan of large SUV security vehicles rolled up to my 1200 person town, creating quite a sensation here in Poroto. Somehow, we managed to have the entire invited audience in attendance and seated in the health post before the arrival of the ambassador and her entourage. The mayor and entire municipality, the health post staff, my youth leaders, health promoters traveling from isolated caserios, participants in our projects, and our host families; everyone was early and eagerly awaiting the arrival of the embajadora from Los Estados Unidos.

The ambassador arrived to the health post and was met by a standing ovation and an enthusiastic audience. We met her at the door, led her to her front-row seat, and began our presentation. In Peru, it is custom to formally address each audience member of importance personally, so my introduction was a very long-winded, “A very good day to our ambassador of the United States and her esteemed colleagues present, mayor of the district of Poroto and municipality staff, our honored doctor Luis Aponte and health post personnel, Peace Corps staff present, district health promoters, and audience in general…” I still can’t get used to these formal introductions, so after making it through that without a hitch I knew we were in for a good day. I was given the opportunity to explain Peace Corps as an organization, its role in Peru, and specifically how I’ve been active as a volunteer in Poroto.

From there, I gave a brief presentation explaining some of our most successful youth development projects here in Poroto, including our youth health promoters and teen pregnancy prevention campaigns, youth entrepreneurship and environmental programs, and parent education workshops. Diana, my loyal community counterpart/health post nurse spoke highly of her work with me and the impact of our programs, even sharing that recent data suggests that the teen pregnancy rate has dropped in the district of Poroto as a result of our work. I also invited two of my youth leaders, Karolain and Tania, to speak about what they’ve learned participating in projects with me. They were well spoken and sincere, and their kind and generous words about me and our projects made me hold back tears.

Lindsey and I continued to share pictures and details about our rural health education series we’ve been working on together in the isolated caserio of Huayabito. This caserio is 3 hours walking distance away, with little access to water, electricity, or other basic needs. We’ve traveled there consistently over the last 6 months, giving interactive nutrition and cooking classes, hygiene and disease prevention, and composting and gardening workshops. We were thrilled and surprised that the health promoter from Huayabito came rushing in during the meeting, having walked the three hours in the heat to join us. This portion of the presentation served as a transition to Lindsey’s exciting new program of healthy living and “cocinas mejoradas” she recently began in the district. Working with the 20 health promoters in various caserios in the district, they will be trained in basic health practices and then construct “cocinas mejoradas” for 70 families. Cocinas mejoradas are improved cooking stoves, which include a chimney and covered flame to drastically reduce smoke contamination and health problems as well as preserve more firewood for cooking. The health promoters each brought a rural family who will be benefitting from this new program, so it was an excellent opportunity to gain support and excitement for this upcoming opportunity.

To finish the program, I explained the importance of the cultural interchange and community integration. In order for projects to be successful, the involvement of the community is indispensable. I’ve spent a year and a half cultivating meaningful relationships within Poroto, and this event was an excellent sign of the fruits we’ve bared through our mutual collaboration. The overwhelming support and positive feedback from my community on such short notice indicated their commitment to me, Peace Corps, and the work we’ve done together.

I was also able to introduce my incredible host family, who has been a solid and constant source of encouragement, laughter, and comfort during my time here. I truly feel like I am not only Peruana, but Porotina at heart, and a member of the community and my host family. Joshy and Pascuala couldn’t wipe the smiles off their faces during the entire presentation, so when I invited them to the meet the ambassador personally they were quite excited. The whole family came to the front of the room and spoke genuinely about our shared experiences and my presence in their life, and gave the ambassador hand-picked Porotina Pineapple, freshly selected from the chakra. The ambassador closed the program, thanking us for our participation and explaining that Peace Corps truly reflects the best of America; the desire to explore, to serve, to grow and make an impact on the world.

Peace Corps is something that can be explained over and over again, but without seeing it first hand, it can be difficult to truly understand. I have become extremely proud of Poroto and the people who live here, so the opportunity to show off my community, my counterparts, and my work to the US ambassador was quite a memorable experience. It seemed as though the ambassador also appreciated the opportunity to see Peace Corps first hand; in many ways, we’re doing the same kind of work. Obviously, on a much different level, but after a year and a half of life in Poroto I will be the first to advocate for small-scale diplomacy. The contributions of Peace Corps volunteers throughout the world represent an intercultural exchange and collaboration of resources and knowledge that couldn’t be replicated in any other form. In a way, we’re all ambassadors: the daily interactions, community projects and educational opportunities shared, and intertwined lives of volunteers and their community create lasting bonds of friendship and mutual understanding that promote a positive image of the US in a personal and meaningful way.