Program Summary 

Disaster Profile 

Widespread flooding and severe rains in Peru began intensifying towards the beginning of February 2017 – this was as a result of The Coastal El Niño Phenomenon. Increased rains led to landslides, overflowing rivers, flash-floods and mud-flows in 24 of the country’s 25 regions. An estimated 1.2 million people were impacted and 2457 schools damaged or destroyed.

Our Work 

On 22 March, 2017, our immediate response team began assessing conditions in the Eastern region of Peru, and identified a great need for assistance in the town of Huarmey, where countless homes and schools were found to be filled with up to one meter of mud. 

After four months of working with the community to remove mud, mould and debris from homes and schools, we shifted our focus to the longer-term need of rebuilding schools – the basic hub of every community. As part of our “Back to School Peru” initiative, our goal was to get 2,000 kids back to school in the space of a year. The work included cleaning out the existing schools of mud and debris and constructing temporary learning centers.

After the completion of our work in Huarmey, our program moved into the recovery phase and we began work near Las Lomas and Yapatera, Piura, to rebuild schools damaged by the disaster. Thanks to the generous support of our donors and partners, we were able to complete our work on the schools in these communities, working on rebuilding educational buildings, WaSH facilities and retaining walls.

All Hands and Hearts also helped to restore and renew the affected regions through several community projects; these included English lessons, inviting community members to volunteer, a Little Dreams craft and entertainment evening and performing Women’s Worth sessions to empower women in the community.

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