AMERICA/PERU - Covid-19, the Salesians close to the last through concrete gestures of solidarity"

Saturday, 23 May 2020 coronavirus   poverty   marginalization   solidarity   orders  

Lima (Agenzia Fides) - "The decline or cessation of economic activities and the worsening of small businesses in Peru, following the global health emergency, was a real tragedy: during this quarantine period, many families were forced to use their few savings and spend them entirely. Many people in need come to us for help". This is what Father Humberto Chàvez, Provincial Vicar of the Salesian Congregation in Lima reports to Agenzia Fides, talking about the crisis generated by Covid-19 which is dragging millions of people across the Latin American country into a situation of poverty and misery. According to the national electoral process office, there are about 9 million people in Peru who live in vulnerable conditions and need financial support.
The Salesians have organized themselves to materially help the poor, who do not even have the minimum to survive: "Already during the first weeks of quarantine in order to provide for food needs in the various reception centers and other needs that emerged - explains Father Humberto - we immediately organized emergency groups to help the most humble and marginalized who are in forgotten areas: in Magdalena del mar, a district of Lima, for example, we continue to take care of more than one hundred Venezuelan children". To satisfy a growing request for assistance, the Don Bosco Foundation created the "I am Supportive" campaign: "The goal - the vicar points out - is to help the most vulnerable families, precarious workers, migrants, abandoned elderly and women who take care of their children alone".
Organizations such as Caritas, the Food Bank of Peru and companies such as Cineplanet have joined this campaign by donating a large variety of groceries. Two tons of food were transported to the suburban settlement of "Santa Rosa", on the northern outskirts of Lima, in favor of 200 families. The other main districts of the capital were also reached: "So far - explains Father Chavez - we have been able to give the populations residing in San Juan de Lurigancho, Chosica, Breña, Callao basic necessities. In the province we have managed to reach the suburb settlements in the city of Piura". "In the delicate moment we are going through - underlines Father Humberto - there are gestures of solidarity willing to give themselves for the good of others: do not lock ourselves in the house with despair and concern - he concludes - but we are thinking of continuing to help those who live in difficult conditions , in discomfort, in suffering".


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