“Las Pioneras” for a better life
Our partner organisation IDEMNNA (Instituto de Desarrollo “Maria Elena Moyano”) works in Peru in a suburb of the capital Lima, where migrant families from different parts of the country live. The aim of the project is to holistically improve the living conditions of women and their children. The focus is on the personal development of the women and their independence is to be promoted by setting up their own small businesses.
In the hope of a better life and prospects for the future, thousands of people from all parts of Peru move to the capital Lima. Due to massive immigration and the uncontrolled construction of settlements, a second city has literally emerged around Lima in recent decades. Our partner organisation IDEMNNA works in the community “Villa El Sol” in Jicamarca, which is located in the eastern region of Lima and where migrant families from different regions of Peru live. The living conditions here are extremely precarious: the basic supply – water, sewage, electricity, health, green areas – is lacking. Violence, alcohol, drugs and land trade cause massive problems. Most families live in abject poverty. Many women are single mothers and the majority of them have experienced psychological or physical violence.
Our partner organisation IDEMNNA works here with women and their children. The aim of the project is to improve the coexistence in the families, to support the women in their personal development and independence and to strengthen solidarity in the neighbourhood. At IDEMNNA the women find a safe place where they can exchange their experiences of violence and educational problems. This exchange among the women is an important principle. The women who are supported by IDEMNNA founded a group and gave themselves the name “Las Pioneras” – pioneers. They receive psychosocial counselling and practical tips for self-help. At the same time, the aim is to support the women in their financial independence, by developing their own business ideas and with small loans as start-up aid. In addition to working with local women, IDEMNNA consistently seeks cooperation with the responsible authorities and public authorities, which is not easy to achieve in this context.
The project started in 2017 with two employees who started the project voluntarily and with a lot of initiative and commitment. In 2018 EcoSolidar initially supported a pilot project to empower women. The committed start of the small organisation convinced us: IDEMNNA performs holistic work “from below” and is oriented towards women’s resources.
Carmen Susana Velásquez López
Project Coordinator, IDEMNNA, Peru
“Our aim is for women, children and young people to be able to strengthen and develop their human and entrepreneurial skills under dignified conditions. To this end, we create and promote space for self-help. We want to contribute to the construction of a just, solidarity-based, non-violent and healthy society in coexistence with its environment”.
