Quechua Benefit
Quechua Benefit is an organization dedicated to helping the Quechua people in the highlands of Peru.
Sue Regier, the Director of Casa Chapi, and Cassondra Puls of PASS, a Washington D.C. consulting firm, did in-depth interviews of Casa Chapi’s five teachers, four educational staff members, 63 students, and all of their parents. The interviews were conducted in-person at Casa Chapi over a 10-day period.
More than 10 years after our first mission, the board of Quechua Benefit decided to build a children’s boarding house, at 11,000 feet above sea level in the Colca Valley, so that the children could attend school in town. These students would be the neediest in the region, many of whom lived in high-risk households or too far away from any school to feasibly attend.
The donkeys hit their harnesses but the wagon would not move. More than a dozen men set their backs to the wagon, but still, it did not budge. Bent over from their effort and completely perplexed, the men in charge of the caravan suddenly heard a voice that seemed to emanate from the statue. It was crying, “Chaypi! Chaypi!”
Chloe Green, a high school student at Cascades Academy in Bend, Oregon, visited Casa Chapi in July 2016. This is her moving account of her experience of how Peru tested her limits, challenged her idea of “roughing it,” and made her feel strong.
What a lovely phrase, “the ministry of your presence.” I reflected on it often, especially during my time as a Peace Corps volunteer. The first goal of the Peace Corps is to provide technical assistance, but it can be frustrating work when nobody takes your advice, or even particularly wants it. The second goal, however, is simply to represent the U.S. to our host country, and that correlates nicely with a “ministry of your presence” philosophy.
The September 2016 issue of Alpaca Culture featured an article on the stained glass windows at Casa Chapi’s Maranatha Chapel. Read the full article, “Local Story Reflected in Stained Glass” by Meyla Bianco Johnston, here!
We are happy to debut our brand new video, Casa Chapi’s Story, which tells how and why Quechua Benefit’s children’s home and school came into being.
Meet Jose Carlos. He is in the 6th grade. I am captured by his bright eyes and mischievous smile as he peers through the glass doors of Casa Chapi’s new bibliotheca. As I motion him into the room, he greets me with “Good afternoon, how are you?” – in English. My surprise pleases him immensely.
We are proud to officially release our new video, “Casa Chapi – A Chance to Be a Child.” This short film documents a child’s journey from living in the remote highlands of Peru to becoming a student at Casa Chapi Children’s Village.
by Nicholas Skinner This November my sister and I had the opportunity to participate in the 2012 Quechua Benefit Mission in Peru. Our family, as Snowmass Alpacas, has sponsored the building of a medical clinic at Casa Chapi. This year the final construction of the clinic was completed, and we were there to attend the grand opening. The first phase of our journey involved long flights, layovers, sleep deprivation, white-knuckle bus rides along cliff-side roads, and a rapid acclimation to 12,000+ feet. […]
