La Victoria, Lima

This week Flor took me to work in El Mercado Mayorista de La Parada, in La Victoria, Lima. It's the biggest market in all of Peru, where all the produce is brought to for onwards distribution to other parts of Lima and the rest of Peru. It is gigantic, and on a poverty scale the people working here are supposedly the worst off in Lima, which is saying something.

There are hundreds if not thousands of stalls, large and small, all types of produce, and what seems like millions of people, all very busy, moving stuff on huge barrows or trolleys, making very little money. Looking tired and worn out, but not unhappy, at least not outwardly. It as if they are resigned to this existence, and to me that's all it is, but I feel bad thinking it. It seems so disparaging to so many people to feel like that. They need a revolution real bad, even more than the UK does. Next year there is a presidential election. Lets hope that Keiko gets a kick up the proverbial. Somehow I fear she may do all too well.

Flor tells me that INABIF work with 140 kids in La Victoria. They don't all come every day, but some afternoons as many as 40 kids come along. INABIF have premises in the market with a bit more room than in Villa Maria or San Juan.

I met the other workers in La Victoria, and went out with them to see around the place and meets some kids and mums. It's such an incredible experience to be there, to see it and to smell it and even taste it. Nobody seems to mind the stranger in their midst. I've been given my own waistcoat to wear when I go out with them, so that helps.

Never thought I would see the day with me wondering around poorest bits of Lima, wearing a jacket which says MIMDES on the back. See the photo I've posted. MIMDES is a governmet dept, of which IBNABIF is part. Best translation I can come up with is Ministry for Women and Social Development. Orwellian or what?

The kids work all hours, day and night sometimes alone sometimes with their mothers. During the night after all the workers have gone home the kids go around collecting stuff for recycling. Such as plastic cups. When they collect 1 kilo they get 1 sol, which is worth about 20p. And it's back breaking, soul destroying. At night the place is swarming with rats. They run around in packs and squadrons. Horrible. I can't even stand the sight of a mouse, neve mind work all night amongst the rats in order to feed me and the rest of my family. Heartbreaking even to think about it.

It's truly a hand to mouth existence. The women who run their own wee fruit or veg stalls, have to wait until they have sold enough in order to be able to feed their families. Some of them live so far away from the market, and they have no money to pay fares on buses so they just sleep in the market with their kids beside them, those that are not out collecting. Such is life.

Am going to work in La Victoria at least once a week. Will go back to San Juan on Wednesday to see the new tables and chairs I supplied. Peace.....