The primary purpose of the Andean Steps project is to enhance the life conditions of the Mapuche communities by providing improved health care, skills training and humanitarian aid. The project also proposes to construct a Cultural Center where the Mapuches can offer their crafts and maintain the integrity of their cultural heritage.

The Andean Steps project proposes to expand their ability to provide needed supplies, clothing and shoes to families throughout the region. They are already using local churches to distribute donated used clothing in several communities. They would like to provide woman’s health care and eye care mobile units offering “on location” attention for remote areas. Several doctors and professionals have volunteered their services. Schools in different communities have offered to help organize health education workshops.
 
A skills workshop center has begun in one of the communities which will provide job skills training in carpentry, woodcarving, weaving and mechanics. This can produce small business spin-offs which can create jobs and future funding for the project. Additionally, livestock husbandry will be taught to improve the health of the sheep herds and the quality of the wool being produced. Underway is a distribution center for the organization of humanitarian aid such as food and clothing or in the case of emergencies. Finally we would like to build a Cultural Center both to provide an interpretive center of their cultural heritage and a location where they can exhibit and sell their handmade crafts.

The Andean Steps team have been living in a community and have come to know firsthand the general standard of living of the Mapuche people and have found that extreme poverty, illiteracy, poor hygiene, disease and lack of paying jobs are an every day occurrence.

In a study that was recently done by the government of Chile, Minister German Quintana stated, “this is the best survey since the beginning of the republic”. This survey covered at least 1,800 Mapuche communities, all in rural areas. The survey found “that there were five key areas in need of development: infrastructure, productivity, culture and identity, health and education.”

Another study done by José Aylwin at the Institute of Indigenous Studies, Univ. of La Frontera, Temuco, Chile – March 1998, states: “(in 1995) Among youngsters ranging from 20 to 24 years old, only 73.22 percent have finished elementary education. ...only 10 percent of the Mapuche houses have electricity, …in terms of employment, according to the 1992 census, 43.53 percent of the active population are subsistence farmers, ...meanwhile 31.43 are hired as labourers, mostly outside of their communities.” There are over 350 communities with a population of 145,000 Mapuches, in our area alone.

The Andean Steps team have been very successful in visitation with the Mapuche families, increasing communication and a better understanding of their needs. The continuation of this process is very important, the first steps of living and working together with them side by side, have been very effective in gaining their trust. Additionally, helping to fulfill their needs donating food and clothing in exchange for their help in improvements, has been a key factor to increase our communication. The team also performs children’s shows in the rural schools which include puppets, clowns and interaction with the children such as games etc. The shows have been every effective, increasing opportunities in being accepted by the different Mapuche communities. They are also using schools and churches to hold training workshops and distribute donated food and clothing.

This last year the team delivered over 1.5 tons of used clothing and over 200 lbs of food in 4 different communities, some over 100 kms away from the nearest town center. They also held over 50 different children’s shows, reaching more than 32,000 children.

To fulfill our goals for the next year as outlined above we would like to request the following:

° 3 Mobile Units (for health and eye care) ° Equipment for mobile units ° Sound Equipment ° Electrical woodworking tools ° 4x4 truck and trailer ° Laptop Computer ° Operational Costs & Project Support (for 1 year)

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ESTIMATED COST OF PROJECT REQUEST (for 1 year)*
(*Budget cash flow sheet available upon request)
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"Project Coordinator" Diane Archibald