Barker A - Peru

Community Service - Quilla Huata

Quilla Huata is a small town consisting of about 80 families. Our contribution as to the local school which had 2 classrooms for kindy and year 1.

Whilst working at the school we slept in one of the classrooms and worked closely with two local men on our building project, a commadore (eating area).

Throughout the 5 days we worked on making a retaining wall which consisted of hard manual labour to transport several metric tonnes of dirt and stones using wheelbarrows. We also made 4 tables and 8 chairs after spending 2 days hand sanding all the wood.

We managed to do this with 5 food breaks and 3, 3 course meals a day.

Once all the parts were completed we ahd a sheltered area with the tables and chairs with a pebble ground. The idea of the commadore is so that the children do not have to eat their food in their classrooms and potentially mess up the place, making it hard to work.

On our last day we took a trip to the neighbouring village Pumamarca (meaning march of the Puma) There we saw what the future plan was for the community that we had been working in and the difference that Peru's Challange had made to their area.

When the community of Quilla Huata said their farwells we shared a Christmas morning tea and gave presents. it was great to see their gratitude and their happiness in their eyes and hearts.

It was a great experience and we were all exposed to a different way of living.

We lacquered and stained the timber to make furniture for the children.

*What we achieved in community service in 5 Days*

Day 1:
- 150 barrowloads of mud and clay moved
- 24 x 2 metre planks of timber sanded
- Dug 4 trenches for drainage

Day 2:
- Another 24 x 2 metre planks of timber sanded
- Another 150 barrowloads of dirt moved
- 11 trusses (A-frames) added to roof
- 8 supporting beams added

Day 3:
- Roofing added (made of recycles car tyres)
- Completed 13 panels
- Stained and lacquered 24 x 2 metre planks
- Extended play area by 1.5 metres
- More trenches dug for drainage
- 24 holes dug for seating supports
- Table 1 made with legs

Day 4:
- 3 tables completed with legs and rails
- 2 barrels of concrete mixed for securing seats
- Tables stained and lacquered
- Flooring laid with stones and boarders for gravel laid.
- All tables were lined and dug into the floor

Day 5:
- Benches cleaned and completed with lacquer
- 12 supports lacquered
- Cleaned our classroom used for sleeping in

Alex, Sarah, Cam, Jono and James