Free Essay

Poverty in Perú

In: Social Issues

Submitted By jpdelaguerra
Words 2241
Pages 9
Alguno de nosotros podría contestar a la pregunta porque está acá, porque están en el mejor o unos de los mejores centros de estudios del país estudiando una maestría. Unos me dirán porque así lo quise, otros porque me esforcé, otros porque mis padres me lo dieron, o mi empresa me lo dio y alguno de repente me contestaría porque me lo merezco.

Se han dado cuenta de las oportunidades que nos da la vida, del privilegio que esto significa, y sin embargo que hacemos con ese regalo, porque esss un regalo, no sé si lo merecemos o no, pero lo que sí sé es que somos afortunados dentro de una masa de infortunados. Sigue siendo una minoría muy pequeña la que estudia una maestría, y más pequeña aún una maestría buena.

Cuando les pedí que vean el video de Diébédo Francis Kéré, es porque vi en él a cada uno de nosotros, vi una persona con oportunidades, con liderazgo y con capacidad de amar. Eso es todo lo que se necesita para hacer lo que él hizo. Y todos ustedes cumplen esos tres requisitos, oportunidades, liderazgo y capacidad de amar.

A veces pensamos que no tenemos tiempo para ayudar a los demás y que sacrificaríamos mucho si nos embarcamos en algún proyecto de ayuda. Recuerdan la campaña de navidad. No use más de 5 horas (de mis horas de almuerzo en el transcurso de dos semanas) entre coordinaciones, mails, llamadas telefónicas y un par de idas al centro de Lima para embarcar en un camión los juguetes que hicieron felices a cerca de 500 niños de Huancavelica. Que con la ayuda de algunos de ustedes y otros conocidos acá y allá, pudimos sacar adelante. Resultado niños muy pobres, muy felices.

Les he venido a hablar de ustedes, les he venido a decir que no tengan miedo de ser generosos, no tengan miedo de ayudar a los demás, no sé si alguno de ustedes nació en un lugar como Gando, en Burkina Faso, la aldea de Diebedo, el del video, pero en el Perú tenemos lugares muy pobres, en una ocasión estaba en el colca en un viaje de ayuda social y una chica que viajaba con nosotros encontró a una viejita que vivía en una casa sin techo… literalmente, una casa de un cuarto… sin techo…, alguno estuvo en el Colca, 3, 800 metros de altura, se imaginan el frio y la lluvia, bueno, como yo no tenía dinero, no pude comprar la calamina y madera para el techo (unos 200 soles), pero me di cuenta que tenía oportunidades, liderazgo y capacidad de amar. Cuando volví a Arequipa, esas tres condiciones me hicieron conseguir la plata en un día. Le pusimos el techo a la abuelita.

Saben porque la abuelita no tiene un cuarto con techo donde vivir, porque hay un hábito cultural, o vicio no sé cómo llamarlo, que cuando una persona ya no produce, se vale por sí misma, un tanto antihumano ciertamente, si van por el colca y otros pueblos andinos verán según la costumbre del lugar que cuando están pallapando, es decir cosechando papas, hay abuelitas a los costados esperando para que cuando los dueños terminen, les digan pueden pasar y sacan las sobras de papas, para comer.

Que estamos haciendo con lo que se nos ha dado oportunidad, liderazgo y capacidad de amar, cada uno sabe en su conciencia, que puede hacer y que está haciendo.

Oportunidades de ayudar, con nuestros amigos, miles en face, lindkedin, whats app, BB msn, con nuestros compañeros de trabajo, con los dueños de las empresas donde trabajamos o las vinculadas a nuestro trabajo, con nuestros compañeros de maestría, familiares, amigos. Tantas y tantas oportunidades.

Liderazgo, si están acá es porque tienen un liderazgo, han venido porque quieren ser jefes, gerentes, empresarios, son líderes cada uno a su manera, pero todos capaces de mover a otros por un proyecto, a un ideal. De organizar recursos, de tener iniciativas

Capacidad de amar, esa no les pregunto si la tienen, es innata al ser humano todos la tenemos
Quiero pedirles algo pónganse de pie, párense por favor, todos párense. Mírense unos a otros quienes son que capacidades tienen, cuantos inteligencias y corazones que podrían hacer tanto por los demás. Piensen por un instante todos ustedes sumados a la causa de proyectos para ayudar a los demás… Gracias tomen asiento por favor.

La desigualdad económica, es algo que a todos debería preocuparnos, no solo por los de abajo en la jerarquía social, sino porque a las personas y a los grupos, si hay mayor desigualdad económica, les va peor. No solo a los de abajo, sino a todo el mundo. Hay mucha investigación realmente convincente, proveniente de los mejores laboratorios del mundo que muestran todas las cosas que se ven socavadas a medida que empeora la desigualdad económica. La movilidad social, las cosas que realmente nos importan, la salud física, la confianza social, todas caen cuando aumenta la desigualdad. Asimismo, lo negativo en los grupos y las sociedades, cosas como la obesidad y la violencia, los encarcelamientos y castigos, se agravan a medida que aumenta la desigualdad económica. Una vez más, estos son resultados percibidos no solo por unos cuantos, sino que resuenan en todos los estratos de la sociedad. Incluso los de la parte superior sufren estos resultados.

Me gustaría mostrarles como me ha ayudado la arquitectura a cambiar la vida de mi comunidad y me ha abierto oportunidades hacia la esperanza. Nací en Burkina Faso. Según el Banco Mundial, Burkina Faso es uno de los países más pobres del mundo, pero, ¿cómo es crecer en un lugar como este? Soy un ejemplo de eso. Nací en un pequeño pueblo llamado Gando. En Gando no había electricidad, acceso a agua potable limpia, ni escuelas. Pero mi padre quería que aprendiera a leer y escribir. Por esta razón, tuve que dejar a mi familia a los 7 años y quedarme en una ciudad bastante lejos de mi pueblo sin ningún contacto con mi familia. En aquel lugar estuve sentado en un salón como ese con más de 150 niños, durante más de 6 años. En ese tiempo, un día fui a la escuela y me di cuenta de que mi compañero de clases había muerto. Hoy en día no ha cambiado mucho. Aún no hay electricidad en mi pueblo. La gente sigue muriendo en Burkina Faso, y el acceso a agua potable limpia es aún un gran problema. Tuve suerte. Tuve suerte, porque esto es una realidad cuando creces en un lugar como ese. Pero tuve suerte. Obtuve una beca. Pude ir a Alemania a estudiar. Así que supongo que ahora no necesito explicarles qué tan grande es el privilegio de estar hoy frente a Uds. Desde Gando, mi pueblo natal en Burkina Faso, a Berlín en Alemania para ser arquitecto es un gran paso, un gran, gran paso. Pero, ¿qué hago con este privilegio? Desde que era estudiante quería brindar mejores oportunidades a otros niños en Gando. Solo quería usar mis habilidades y construir una escuela. Pero, ¿cómo hacerlo cuando aún eres solo un estudiante y no tienes dinero? Por supuesto, empecé a hacer diseños y a recolectar dinero Recaudar fondos no fue un trabajo fácil. Hasta les pedía a mis compañeros que gastaran menos dinero en café y cigarrillos, y patrocinaran mi proyecto escolar. Asombrosamente, 2 años después, pude recolectar USD 50 000. Cuando regresé a mi hogar en Gando para dar las buenas nuevas, mi gente saltaba de alegría, pero cuando se dieron cuenta de que estaba planeando usar arcilla se quedaron paralizados. "Un edificación de arcilla no puede sostenerse en invierno, y Francis quiere que lo usemos para construir una escuela. ¿Para eso pasó tanto tiempo estudiando en Europa en vez de ayudarnos a labrar la tierra?" Mi gente construía todo el tiempo con arcilla, y ellos no veían innovación alguna en la tierra. Así que tuve que convencer a todo el mundo. Empecé a hablar con la comunidad, y pude convencerlos, y pudimos empezar a trabajar. Mujeres, hombres, y todos en el pueblo, eran parte del proceso de construcción. Podía incluso usar técnicas tradicionales. Como el piso de arcilla, por ejemplo, los jóvenes llegaban y se paraban así, golpeando, hora tras hora, y luego llegaban sus madres, y golpeaban de esta manera durante horas; poniendo agua y golpeando. Y luego llegaban los pulidores. Empezaban a pulir con piedras durante horas. Y luego se obtenía este resultado, bien pulido, como las nalgas de un bebé. (Risas) No es PhotoShop. (Risas) Esta es la escuela, construida con la comunidad. Las paredes fueron completamente construidas en bloques de arcilla comprimida de Gando. La estructura del techo se hizo con barras baratas de hierro normalmente forradas en concreto. Y en el salón de clases, el techo se hizo con ambos materiales. En esta escuela, había una idea simple: crear un salón de clases cómodo. No olviden que en Burkina Faso puede hacer 45 °C, así que con simple ventilación, quería construir el salón apropiado para la enseñanza y el aprendizaje. Y este es el proyecto hoy en día, 12 años después, aún en las mejores condiciones. Y los niños lo aman. Y para mí y mi comunidad, este proyecto fue un gran éxito. Nos abrió oportunidadesde poder llevar a cabo más proyectos en Gando. Así que pude realizar muchísimos proyectos. Y aquí compartiré con Uds. solo 3 de ellos. El primero es la ampliación de la escuela, por supuesto. ¿Cómo explicarle diseño e ingeniería a personas que no saben leer ni escribir? Empecé a crear un prototipo como ese. La innovación era construir una cúpula de barro. Así que salté a la cima así con mi equipo y funcionó. La comunidad estaba a la expectativa. Aún funciona. Así que a construir. (Risas) Y continuamos construyendo, y ese es el resultado. Los niños estaban muy contentos, y les encantó. La comunidad estaba muy orgullosa. La construimos. Y hasta los animales, como ese burro, amaban nuestro edificio. (Risas) El siguiente proyecto es la biblioteca en Gando. Y vean ahora que tratamos de usar ideas diferentes en nuestros edificios, aunque generalmente no tenemos muchos materiales. Algo que tenemos en Gando son vasijas de arcilla. Queríamos usarlas para crear aperturas. Así que las pusimos como pueden ver en el sitio de la construcción. Empezamos a cortarlas, y luego las colocamos en el tope del techo antes de vaciar el cemento, y obtuvimos este resultado. Las aperturas dejan salir el aire caliente y hacen que entre la luz. Muy simple. Mi proyecto más reciente en Gando es una escuela secundaria.Me gustaría compartir esto con Uds. La innovación en este proyecto es vaciar el lodo como se vacía el cemento. ¿Cómo se vacía el lodo? Empezamos a crear muchos morteros, como pueden ver, y cuando todo estaba listo, cuando sabíamos cuál era la mejor receta, la mejor manera, empezamos a trabajar con la comunidad. Y algunas veces me puedo ir. Ellos lo harán por sí mismos. Gracias a eso, hoy pude venir a hablarles a Uds. Otro factor en Gando es la lluvia. Cuando llegó la lluvia nos apresuramos a proteger nuestras frágiles paredes de la lluvia. No se confundan con Christo y Jeanne-Claude. Es simplemente como protegíamos nuestras paredes. (Risas) La lluvia en Burkina llega muy rápidamente, y con ella llegan las inundaciones en todo el país. Pero para nosotros, la lluvia era buena. Trae consigo arena y grava a los ríos que necesitábamos para construir. Solo esperábamos que escampara. Tomábamos la arena, la mezclábamos con la arcilla, y continuábamos trabajando. Y así era. El proyecto de Gando siempre estuvo conectado al entrenamiento de la gente, porque deseo que el día que me desgaste y muera, al menos una persona de Gando continúe haciendo este trabajo. Pero se sorprenderán al ver que sigo vivo. (Risas) Y mi pueblo ahora puede usar sus habilidades para ganar dinero por sí mismo. Por lo general, para que un joven de Gando gane dinero, tiene que dejar el campo e irse a la ciudad; algunas veces se van y no regresan, lo que debilita a la comunidad. Pero ahora pueden quedarse en el campo y trabajar en diferentes sitios de construcción y ganar dinero para alimentar a sus familias. Pero este trabajo tiene algo más. Sí, ya lo saben. He ganado cientos de premios gracias a este trabajo. Ciertamente, me ha dado oportunidades. Me ha ayudado a ser reconocido. Pero la razón para hacer lo que hago es mi comunidad. Cuando era niño, iba a la escuela y regresaba a Gando en las vacaciones. Al final de las vacaciones debía despedirme de la comunidad, yendo de un recinto a otro. Todas las mujeres en Gando sacaban su ropa de esta manera y me daban la última moneda. En mi cultura, este es un símbolo de profundo afecto. Con tan solo 7 años, estaba impresionado. Un día le pregunté a mi madre: "¿Por qué todas estas mujeres me aman tanto?" (Risas) Ella solo respondió: "Están contribuyendo a pagar tu educación con la esperanza de que tengas éxito y un día regreses y ayudes a mejorar la calidad de vida de la comunidad". Ahora espero que mi comunidad esté orgullosa gracias a este trabajo. Espero poder demostrarles el poder de la comunidad, y mostrarles que la arquitectura puede ser inspiradora para las comunidades para forjarse su propio futuro. Muchas gracias. (Aplausos) Muchas gracias. Muchas, muchas gracias. Gracias. Muchas gracias. (Aplausos)

Similar Documents

Free Essay

Globalization

...Globalization is a historical process that results from human innovation and technological progress. The social effects of globalization are clearly illustrated in Peru. Once a third-world country filled with poverty and oppression, Peru is now transitioning into a developed nation. In Peru, globalization has raised the human development index, empowered women, and created a stronger country. (Leon 90-91) One of the benefits of globalization on a social level is an increased Human Development Index. The Human Development Index is a measurement of a country's social, political, and economical growth in comparison to other countries in the world. The Human Development Index rates each country with a score between 0 and 1, with 1 being the most advanced, globalized country. Factors that are involved in determining a country's HDI are gross domestic production per capita, life expectancy at birth, adult literary, and the number of persons enrolled in educational institutions. In 1975, Peru's Human Development Index was a 0.643. By 2003, the Human Development Index had risen more than one tenth to 0.762. The substantial increase of Peru's HDI is a clear indication that globalization has made a positive impact. From 1975 until 2003, globalization has caused a 2% increase in the adult literacy rate. During the same time period, the poverty rate to dropped 6%. Women's fertility rates have also dropped. In 1975, women had an average of 6 children each. In 2003, that average dropped to less than...

Words: 1892 - Pages: 8

Premium Essay

Globalization

...Globalization is a historical process that results from human innovation and technological progress. The social effects of globalization are clearly illustrated in Peru. Once a third-world country filled with poverty and oppression, Peru is now transitioning into a developed nation. In Peru, globalization has raised the human development index, empowered women, and created a stronger country. (Leon 90-91)  One of the benefits of globalization on a social level is an increased Human Development Index. The Human Development Index is a measurement of a country's social, political, and economical growth in comparison to other countries in the world. The Human Development Index rates each country with a score between 0 and 1, with 1 being the most advanced, globalized country. Factors that are involved in determining a country's HDI are gross domestic production per capita, life expectancy at birth, adult literary, and the number of persons enrolled in educational institutions. In 1975, Peru's Human Development Index was a 0.643. By 2003, the Human Development Index had risen more than one tenth to 0.762. The substantial increase of Peru's HDI is a clear indication that globalization has made a positive impact. From 1975 until 2003, globalization has caused a 2% increase in the adult literacy rate. During the same time period, the poverty rate to dropped 6%. Women's fertility rates have also dropped. In 1975, women had an average of 6 children each. In 2003, that average dropped to less...

Words: 1174 - Pages: 5

Free Essay

Business

...this report you will learn about the corporate social responsibility of Peru, business ethics, ethical issues in international business and Non-Governmental Organizations in Peru. Corporate Social Responsibility & CSR in Global Companies Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is defined as the voluntary activities undertaken by a company to operate in an economic, social and environmentally sustainable manner. Corporate Social Responsibility in the Mining Sector in Peru seeks to take a first step towards meaningful dialogue about CSR among the different actors involved to help civil society obtain the highest benefits from CSR policies and actions implemented by government and corporations. A legislative proposal on the topic of corporate social responsibility was introduced in Peru in 2005, but it was never implemented and thus there is still no legislation governing CSR in Peru. Small businesses who deal domestically tend to place much less emphasis on operating responsibly than the major companies who rely mainly on exports. Most CSR initiative in Peru seems to come from international organizations and intermediaries; the Swiss AVINA, Kellog, Interamerican, and Ford Foundations are all examples of the attempt to raise CSR awareness.  Benefits of CSR Peru’s rapid economic expansion has helped to reduce the national poverty rate by almost 15%, but 44.5% of the population still live below the poverty line. Not all Peruvians share the benefits of the country’s ever-increasing...

Words: 1864 - Pages: 8

Free Essay

Peru and Capital Development

...Running head: PERU AND CAPITAL DEVELOPMENT Peru and Capital Development Abstract During the 2006 election of Alan Garcia Perez, promised to improve the social condition and commanded a balance of the economic spending with an increase of social spending. With a macroeconomic performance that had increased the GDP growth and help to lower the poverty levels. Even though the economic crisis produced a strain on the financial burden of Peru at the time, the prices have begun to drop and Peruvians are proactively recovering their loses. The land is still being dominated by the elites and the higher class of mezitos. These governed entities remain in control of the structures and industries within the country. Peru and Capital Development In 1996, Republic of Peru was the world largest coca leaf producer, however as time has generated a smaller dip in the economic system, Peru is now the world’s second largest producer of coca leaf. While, Peru lags far behind Columbia; cultivation of coca in Peru declined to 36,000 hectares in 2007. With an estimated yearly rate of growth of 9.8% (U.S. Department of State), Peru continues to struggles to keep up through economic hardship and the rift of the trade. Republic of Peru is plagued with environmental issues concerning the deforestation due impart to illegal logging, overgrazing of the slopes of the costa and sierra leading to soil erosion, desertification, air pollution, water pollution. Most of the problems are due to the natural...

Words: 1089 - Pages: 5

Free Essay

Funding Proposal

...Posh Pastries Helping Hands | Lima,Peru Expansion | Prepared for: U.S Department of State, Special Grant Review , Business Analyst of Posh pastries Management Team | | PROJECT DESCRIPTION Peru has one of the fastest growing economies in South America, so we at Posh Pastries have decided to expand operations to the capital city in Peru. Posh Pastries achievement in the USA (where 90% of sales are made) and expansion to Canada, Northern Mexico and Rome assures us that we are ready to successfully expand to South America. Our goals are to establish a strong relationship with Peru, help the underprivileged acquire a foundation to further their career, and expand our product line to higher end venues. We chose Peru because it is currently one of the leading, fastest growing economies in South America, predicted to eventually surpass Brazils booming economy. Peru’s economy is expected to increase in the next decade, predicting a secure economic establishment with expected growth. Posh Pastries will partner with local high schools with higher drop out rates to encourage students to stay in school. Each paid intern will be expected to participate in a twelve-week training program where they will learn the daily operations of Posh Pastries. Students who demonstrate talent and dedication will be eligible for one of our part-time jobs at the end of the training program. Posh pastries...

Words: 2392 - Pages: 10

Free Essay

Peru

...HISTORY The history of Peru spans several millennia. Peruvian territory was home to the Norte Chico civilization, one of the oldest in the world, and to the Inca Empire, the largest state in Pre-Columbian America. It was conquered by the Spanish Empire in the 16th century, which established a Viceroyalty with jurisdiction over most of its South American domains. Independence was declared in 1821 but consolidated only after the Battle of Ayacucho, three years later. GEOGRAPHY Peru is a country on the central western coast of South America. Peru covers 1,285,220 km² (496,193 sq mi). It neighbors Ecuador and Colombia to the north, Brazil to the east, Bolivia to the southeast, Chile to the south, and the Pacific Ocean to the west CLIMATE The combination of tropical latitude, various mountain ranges, topography variations and two ocean currents (Humboldt and El Niño) gives Peru a large diversity of climates. DEMOGRAPHY Peru is a multicultural and multiethnic country. Peruvian census does not contain information about ethnicity so only rough estimates are available. Its population can be composed of Amerindians: 45%, mestizos: 37%, European: 15%, and Asians, Afro-Peruvians, and others: 3%.[1]. Amerindians are found in the southern Andes, though a large portion are also to be found in the southern and central coast due to the massive internal labor migration from remote Andean regions to coastal cities,during the past four decades. While the Andes are the "heart" of the indigenous...

Words: 725 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

Economic Globalization

...Globalization is a historical process that results from human innovation and technological progress. The social effects of globalization are clearly illustrated in Peru. Once a third-world country filled with poverty and oppression, Peru is now transitioning into a developed nation. In Peru, globalization has raised the human development index, empowered women, and created a stronger country. (Leon 90-91) One of the benefits of globalization on a social level is an increased Human Development Index. The Human Development Index is a measurement of a country's social, political, and economical growth in comparison to other countries in the world. The Human Development Index rates each country with a score between 0 and 1, with 1 being the most advanced, globalized country. Factors that are involved in determining a country's HDI are gross domestic production per capita, life expectancy at birth, adult literary, and the number of persons enrolled in educational institutions. In 1975, Peru's Human Development Index was a 0.643. By 2003, the Human Development Index had risen more than one tenth to 0.762. The substantial increase of Peru's HDI is a clear indication that globalization has made a positive impact. From 1975 until 2003, globalization has caused a 2% increase in the adult literacy rate. During the same time period, the poverty rate to dropped 6%. Women's fertility rates have also dropped. In 1975, women had an average of 6 children each. In 2003, that average dropped to less than...

Words: 547 - Pages: 3

Free Essay

Peru Boom

...Peru Boom Spurs Growth of Middle Class (Assignment 1) Michael Davis SOC 300 January 3, 2012 Professor Ruben E. Saroukhanian Peru Boom Spurs Growth of Middle Class Peru is a middle country in Latin America; it was not one of the superrich or really poor countries. Now Peru is one the fastest growing Latin countries; in the city of El Salvador which uses to be known for indigenous Peruvians is now a mega city. This city has all the bells and whistle, the main attraction is the Mega Plaza Express shopping center. The Mega Plaza Express shopping center has movies, dinner, lights, electronic stores and much more; the local’s lover the current scene and life the city has now. Over the last couple of years the price of gold and copper has raise and the demand has become very popular with Asian countries. “The Andean country’s gross domestic product rose 6.7 percent year on year in October 2012, marking 38 consecutive months of growth” (Schipani, 2013). Peru growth has notice a letdown in 2010 to 8.8 but that has not stop Peru from becoming one of the top growing Latin American countries. “Sales in 2012 topped $5.3 billion, an increase of 20 percent over the previous year. The increase was due not only to the existence of centers such as Mega Plaza Express” (Schipani, 2013). The Peruvians average $2 dollars a person in his or her pocket has reduced to 28 percent over the last ten years. One of the goals of the Peru President is to reduce/cut poverty to least then 15 percent...

Words: 736 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

Nokia

...Index a) Nokia Corporation 1. Introduction 2. History i) Pre telecommunication Era 1) Industrial conglomerate ii) Telecommunications era 1) Networking equipment 2) First mobile phones 3) Involvement in GSM 3. Acquisitions 4. Logos b) Global Market Captured/Targeted By Nokia Corporation c) Peru i) Quick Facts ii) General Overview iii) Economy iv) Challenges v) Economic Indicators d) Entry Strategy For Nokia Corporation to Enter in Peru i) Political factors ii) Social Factors iii) Economical factors iv) Technological Factors v) Environmental Factors vi) Legal factors Nokia Corporation Introduction Nokia Corporation is a Finnish multinational communications corporation that is headquartered in Keilaniemi, Espoo, a city neighboring Finland's capital Helsinki. Nokia is engaged in the manufacturing of mobile devices and in converging Internet and communications industries, with over 123,000 employees in 120 countries, sales in more than 150 countries and global annual revenue of EUR 41 billion and operating profit of €1.2 billion as of 2009. It is the world's largest manufacturer of mobile telephones: its global device market share was about 33% in Q2 2010, down from 35% in Q2 2009 and unchanged from Q1 2010. Nokia's converged device market share was about 41% in...

Words: 8281 - Pages: 34

Free Essay

Andes Moutains

...The Andes form the backbone of Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, and Chile. It is the longest unbroken mountain chain in the world, soaring higher than any range except the Himalayas in South Asia. Some of the Andes’ snowcapped peaks tower more than 20,000 feet (6,000 m) above sea level. The Andes have shaped not only the physical geography of the Andean nations, but also the economies and lifestyles of the people who make their homes in this region. The Andes stretch some 5,500 miles (8,850 km) all the way from the Caribbean Sea to the southernmost tip of South America. At places in Peru and Bolivia the mountain range is nearly 500 miles (800 km) wide. Its rocky walls divide the Andean nations into three distinct environments: coastal plain, highlands, and forest. Coastal Plain Between the mountains and the sea, a narrow plain stretches along the entire Pacific coast from Colombia to the southern end of Chile. At some points it is no more than a sandy beach at the foot of the mountains; in other places it reaches inland for 100 miles (160 km). The Atacama Desert, the driest and one of the most lifeless places on earth, occupies the coastal plain in northern Chile. Because ocean winds lose their moisture blowing across the cold waters of the Peru Current, only dry air ever reaches the land, creating a desolate wasteland. The Atacama is so dry that archaeologists have found perfectly preserved relics from ancient times. These include colored textiles woven hundreds of years ago...

Words: 2262 - Pages: 10

Premium Essay

Country Evaluation

...Peru: Country Evaluation Geographical Situation Peru is located in the west of South America, and has borders with Ecuador, Colombia, Brazil, and Chile. It is almost twice the size of Texas. Peru is the third largest country in South America, and has a wide range of natural resources. The country has three main regions which are coast, mountains and jungle (Peru Travel, 2015). Generally, May through October is the dry season; November through April is the rainy season, and there are usually more than 15 days during rainy season in Peru (Frommers, 2015). Demographical Situation Peru has a population of 30,444,999 people that ranks 44th in the world. The official language is Spanish and Quechua, and there are 84.1% Peruvians speak Spanish and 37% speak Quechua. The largest age group is 25-54 years, and accounts for 39.65% of total population. The population growth rate is 0.97% that ranks for 120th in the world. The life expectancy at birth is 73.48 years old. The urban population is 78.6% of total population, and major urban areas are LIMA, Arequipa, and Trujillo (CIA, 2015). Cultural Situation Peruvians are increasingly proud of the historical and cultural wealth, both past and present. After turning its back on its Andean origins for centuries, modern Peru now fully recognizes the value of the Andes and the Amazon for all that they represent in terms of resources and ancient traditions. Peru's civilization is the oldest in South America. Neighboring countries have been...

Words: 949 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

Signature Assignment

...keeping the level of public debt among the lowest in the region. Nowadays the world lives the era of globalization, characterized by economy and markets expansion, media, and transportation. With it, a new competitive environment arises, requiring countries to open their economies in order to communicate them with these new markets. Peru, a country located in the western coast of South America, is not the exception. Though, it has significant challenges to face in its economic development. (voxeu.org) A country sharply divided in three geographic regions: In the North-west coastal areas contain primary oil deposits. Main traditional agricultural products including cotton, fish, and fruits grow along the Pacific coast. And most mineral resources, that involve approximately half of Peru's exports, come from mines in the Andes. However, despite this bunch of resources, Peruvian economy is essentially heterogeneous, and markets segmentation is extremely high. This can be attributed to major obstacles, differences and barriers in access to these resources companies need to grow their competitiveness. An easier way to classify productive specialization in Peru is by dividing its GDP into four large economic sectors: extractive or primary activities (agriculture, fisheries and mining); basic transformation or infrastructure (construction); intermediate or industrial transformation (manufacturing); and services (home rentals, government, electricity, gas and water, commerce, among others)...

Words: 2166 - Pages: 9

Free Essay

Culture of Peru

...are ill-luck. | Make Eye Contact: Although Peruvians favor indirect styles of communication with words, they favor direct eye contact which creates an atmosphere of trust and respect. | Personal bubble: Be aware that Peruvians tend to speak closer to whom they wish they speak with than Americans are used to. Kisses on the cheek and speaking very closely are normal.  | Small talk: Small talk helps establish a base for the relationship.  Business matters should follow, but allow your host to initiate the business conversation first. | First names: Only use first names when the other party has invited you to do so. If you haven't, use other formal ways to address them.  | "DO" conversation topics: Soccer, family, places to visit in Peru, and local food. | "DON'T" conversation topics: Politics, religion, terrorists, and a person's ancestry. | Bring a gift: If invited to a Peruvian home, it is appropriate to bring flowers (avoid black & purple), wine, good quality liquor, or chocolates.  Wrap your gifts and expect that they may be opened right away. | Taboos: Don't refuse dinner invitations, don't refuse to eat something when you're the guest, don't put your feet on a chair, desk, or table, don't put your elbows on the table while eating, don't place your...

Words: 1255 - Pages: 6

Premium Essay

Axbycz

...that Starbucks opens two stores a day on average. The number of stores in UK and US is quite tremendous (700 stores in UK and 6700 stores in US).Thus, the coffee market in these two countries are believed to reach saturation in the near future. - Up to now, Starbucks has operated more than 20 000 stores in 65 countries. They are focusing on a fast-developing region: South America Franchising - According to Peru this week, by the end of 2015, Starbucks aims the target of operating 100 stores in Peru. A new strategy is applied instead of owning and operating stores, Starbucks is seeking to expand by rising a franchise model. Both company and franchises have advantages: Challenge According to opening in new market, the company has to face 2 key challenges: 1. Conduct market research to access both customer preferences and potential of market 2. Focus on building brand awareness and customer loyalty. It means that to make profit in a new market, the company has to have a huge investment on marketing. PEST Analyse Political influences: Political issues in Peru is still complicated as corruption and excessive bureaucracy are widely ripe. They tend to adopt strict regulation so as to increase costs and stop companiesfrom potential and profitable opportunities. Economic influences: In the past,hypeninflation destroyed economy but it has recovered stability and GDP rate has grown. Ultimately, living standard and incomes are also stable....

Words: 418 - Pages: 2

Premium Essay

Porters National Diamond Analysis

...The advantages and limitations of both strategies will also be discussed in this report. Peru is located in the west of South America, and has borders with Ecuador, Colombia, Brazil, Bolivia and Chile (peru.travel) Wine industry from Peru was brought from Spain after its conquest. (Ayala) 1. 2. Factor conditions 1. 2.1. Physical resources Peru soils are nearly level to steep. They are on drumlins and sloping to steep areas of glaciated uplands. Slope ranges from 0 to 35 percent. The soils formed in dense, loamy glacial till of Wisconsin age that is derived mainly from mica schist, granite, and phyllite. Peru soils are moderately well drained. Permeability is moderate in the solum and moderately slow or slow in the substratum. The climate is humid and cool temperate. Mean annual rainfall ranges from 30 to 50 inches and mean annual air temperature ranges from 40 to 47 degrees Fahrenheit. The frost-free season ranges from 90 to 160 days.(National Cooperative Soil Survey , 2013) The high relief and steep slopes of the streams emerging from the mountains to the east meant that it was relatively simple to divert water into canals for irrigation agriculture. (Park, 1983) Peru has a large amount of water resources, with 159 river basins. The Andes divide Peru into three natural drainage basins: Pacific basin, Atlantic basin and Lake Titicaca basin. (Farroñay, 2012) Land area (sq. km) in Peru was last measured at 1280000...

Words: 3878 - Pages: 16