Small charity projects, run independently of official government support, help Peruvian children living in the Iquitos Area, Peru. In this material, two examples are presented.
The first one is a rehabilitation centre for handicapped children in Tamshiyacu - a small town situated on the Amazon River. This one-room facility is run by Mexican missionaries. The first task was to convince the parents that it may really help their disabled children and then to keep the regular and hard work. Nuns have invited a skilled masseur and a group of seven patients exercises regularly. They have achieved initial success. Carlitos (aged 6) may be a good example. After tumour extraction from his spinal cord and long rehabilitation he starts to walk on his own without any help from his mother.
Small canteen named "Comedor Infantil" - in Punchana, the poorest district of Iquitos - serves one warm meal for about 30 children daily. Even a cabin made of wood with a table and couple of chairs inside can be a big aid for the fast-growing community of peasant immigrants in Iquitos. Canteen does not need the professional cooks - food is prepared by children parents working in shifts. Comedor was built with the significant help of western travellers visiting Amazon jungle. There are organisations focused on eco-tourism which apart from showing the tourists the richness of Amazonian nature, collect money for supporting such charity actions.
