The need for assistance grows in flood-affected Peru

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE     
 
OTTAWA, April 5, 2017 - Flooding in Peru continues to destroy homes, businesses, crops and infrastructure with intense rains expected to last into mid-to-late-April. CCA's partner in Peru, Norandino Co-operative, says that several of its cacao producer families and communities have seen homes destroyed, product washed away, limited mobility and increasingly limited/interruptions with water, electricity and internet. One of the major roads leading out of the city was blocked the other day with a river of water running through it. There have also been reports of an increase in mosquitos and mosquito born illnesses, including dengue.
 
Flooding has crippled the city of Piura.  
"We have lost everything, but we have life and the strength to start over," says Norandino president Santiago Paz López. "We just need a helping hand to get our lives back."

CCA has recalled to Canada a long-term volunteer who was working on knowledge management, and has postponed a second volunteer mission to the region until the situation on the ground improves.

The Co-operative Development Foundation of Canada (CDF) is continuing its appeal to  generous supporters to assist members of Peru's co-operatives affected by intensive flooding and has to date received $ 2,772 from 22 donors.

"We are grateful for the generosity of those who have heard and responded to our urgent appeal for donations," says CDF executive Director Michael Casey. "Co-ops and their members will need this assistance to rebuild when the rains and floods subside. Please reach out to our fellow co-operators in Peru. No size of donation is too small for this appeal.

Coffee producer in front of his destroyed home. 
CCA project co-ordinator Sabino Guerrero says that apart from reconstruction of infrastructure (homes, co-ops, roads, etc.) and challenges with mobility, co-op members are predicting that there will be issues with mold for cacao which will result in loss of product and income for farmers.
 
"We continue to monitor the situation and are in constant contact with our partners," says Mr. Casey. "We will keep Canadian co-operators aware of conditions and the response as we go forward."  
 
Several regions of Peru continue to be in a state of emergency due to excessive rains caused by the El Niño COSTERO. The country has not seen rain like this since 1998, resulting in extreme flooding, the destruction of infrastructure, limited access to water (both potable and otherwise), death, injury, and the destruction of homes and crops.     
 
CDF has a long history of working in Peru. Since 2010, in partnership with the Canadian Co-operative Association, the Foundation has worked with Norandino, a co-operative with members located in seven regions of northern Peru, including Piura. Norandino is a co-operative of small producers of panela, coffee and cacao who strive to decrease family poverty and improve community resiliency.

Many relief agencies are responding quickly to meet immediate needs for food, water and shelter. CDF is focusing on longer term recovery to enable co-operatives to rebuild damaged buildings and restore services to their members. CDF support will be important in restoring co-op businesses, crops and livelihoods.  We need your assistance today!
 
Donations can be made online ,  by phone at 866.266.7677 ext. 605,  or by mail to the Co-operative Development Foundation of Canada, 275 Bank Street, Suite 400, Ottawa, Ontario, K2P 2L6. Please indicate that your donation is designated for the PERU FLOOD RECONSTRUCTION.
 
CDF will continue to send out updates as information arrives from our partner and our plans to rebuild solidify . Thank you for taking the time to read this important message and for making a donation today.
 
Co-operatively yours,
 
David Dern 
Manager, Fundraising
Co-operative Development Foundation of Canada (CDF)
(613) 238-6711 ext. 219


 The Co-operative Development Foundation of Canada (CDF) is a registered charitable organization. It raises money, mostly from Canadian co-operatives and co-op members to help alleviate poverty by building and strengthening financial and non-financial co-ops in developing countries. Working with the Canadian Co-operative Association (CCA) and other partners, it helps poor communities fight poverty and create more secure lives through community-owned co-ops. 

The Canadian Co-operative Association (CCA)
is a not-for-profit co-operative which establishes and strengthens co-operatives, credit unions and community-based organizations to reduce poverty, build sustainable livelihoods and improve civil society in less developed countries. CCA proudly delivers programs for the Co-operative Development Foundation of Canada (CDF) and other organizations which help communities fight poverty and create more secure lives through community-owned
co-ops.