Pedro Sanz was received by the mayor and by the bishop of Chota, the Augustinian Recollect Fortunato Pable Urcey, at an official reception which ended with a popular fiesta in the main square of Chota. In his address, the Chief Executive of the Rioja reminded everyone of his previous visit to the region in 2005. “On that day we shared a dream, a dream of water for Chota, and I promised you all that I would support the project through Fr. Severiano and the NGO Haren Alde. That dream, that some doubted, has today become a reality. The Promise of 2005 is completed,” he declared.
Pedro Sanz emphasized the work done by the Augustinian Recollects in Chota and said “we will continue with our collaboration in the future”. “ This town has a future”, he added before pointing out that the “young people have to unite so as to continue to work for the town and claim what is rightfully yours. That road which took me a long while to travel to get here has to be repaired. It’s not my job, it corresponds to the Peruvian Government, and you have to demand what belongs to you.”
Here we are talking about a work that allows 30,000 people to benefit from quality drinking water that until recently they could only access for an hour every two days. Logically this situation was the cause of many diseases among the people of Chota. On their arrival, as happened two years ago, the Riojan committee, made up also of the Counselor of the Presidencia, Emilio del Rio, and the Director General of Exterior Affairs, Cristina Salinas, was received by the principal authorities of the region and by the huge crowd of “chotanos” who wanted to be present to show their gratitude for the immense help from the Rioja.
It ought to be mentioned that, taking advantage of his stay, Pedro Sanz also visited two more projects situated in two small communities of Chota: Auque Alto and Campillapampa.
In Auque Alto, the president of the Riojan administration wanted to make perfectly clear that “we are going to continue to do works here; we will build toilets by the means offered by the NGO and the Riojan Administration so that the inhabitants will have a better quality of life”. “ In a short time we hope to be able to better the life you have, which is very hard and put down the means necessary for you to have that dignity, “, he said.
HAREN ALDE, in favor of the others
This initiative is fruit of work done together by the Riojan Administration and the Community of Augustinian Recollects in Peru. For a number of years they have put in place small modest projects for channeling water. To carry outt the initiative an agreement was reached between the Riojan administration, the NGO Haren Alde, Caritas Chota and the town of Chota. Added to this the complementary work of the project to treat underground waters. This initiative of Haren Alde has been included among the Annual Projects of Development Cooperation 2007, at the cost of 150.000 euros.
The whole Project will integrate all aspects dealing with the water cycle. It is not only to put in place the necessary infrastructure for the population but also to put on courses and educational programmes on the local radio, Radio Santa Monica, on the correct use of water.
Haren Alde was born in 1992. It’s a Non Government Organisation for the development of needy individuals and peoples, under the care of the Augustinian Recollects. It’s good to remember that the project carries the stamp of the OAR missionaries in Peru ( many of whom are from the Rioja). Their work was recognized last year by the Riojan Administration when they were awarded the Solidarity Prize from the Entidad Solidaria Riojana. During these years around 65,000 chotanos and 80.000 cajamarquinos have benefited directly and double that number indirectly from projects financed by the Rioja. (Cajamarca is the region Chota is in).
Before arriving in Chota, the riojan delegation had a work meeting with the President of the Cajamarca Region, the Bishop of Cajamarca, the Augistinian Recollects Carmelo Martinez and the director of Haren Alde, Fr. Severiano de Caceres. We should remember that Cajamarca has received a total of 1.940.931.66 euros from the Rioja for the implementation of 22 development projects.