Breaking the cycle of poverty through building a fish farm

A woman from the community of Nuevo Mundo, located in the Loreto region of Peru. She looks happy and proud next to her four children, because now she has her own fish farm to grow fish and feed her children.

  Manuela Salinas is a 24-year-old mother of five beautiful children. From the rural community of Nuevo Mundo in the Loreto region, she dedicates her time to her home, fishing, and farming.   Manuela learned about farming at an early age; knowledge passed down to her by her parents. But unfortunately, things were still difficult Read More …

One Woman’s Reflection on Her Work With Minga

  Marcely Sanchez Diaz is a woman living in the Amazonian community of Ex Petrolero and became an official community leader in 2019. We sat down with her and asked her to reflect on how her work as a new community leader with Minga has impacted her life and community   Image of Marcely in one Read More …

From the Amazon to Marin

Image of Madeline and Clint participating in a workshop with Minga’s community leaders   Just seven weeks ago my husband Clint and I evacuated from Peru, abruptly ending our Peace Corps volunteer service.   This was our second service, having served 27 months in Peace Corps Guatemala, 2016-2018. For the first time in its 59-year history, Read More …

Women’s Health in the Peruvian Amazon

    November 2019:   Health and healthcare for women in the Peruvian Amazon reflects much of what life looks for women in rural, isolated communities around the world.  There is little in the way of organized medical services, few doctors, scarce resources and limited access to diagnostic tests, medications and therapeutic interventions. The Loreto Read More …

The Voices of the Amazon

Image of Francisca speaking during Minga’s empowerment workshop taken by Ruth Oratz, MD.    Under the thatched roof of a large round meeting space, shaded from the hot Amazonian sun, a group of about 15 women from indigenous communities gathered to share their stories. “Tambo Minga”, the residential training center of Minga Peru, is located Read More …

The Path to Change is a Challenging but Worthwhile Endeavor

  Andrea Montalvan Apagueño, from the Community of San Juan de Puritania (Loreto, Peru), has been a woman community leader (promotora comunitaria) for Minga Peru for a little over a decade and she is everything you’d expect a community leader to be—outspoken, confident, compassionate, and dedicated. She takes her role seriously and is deeply passionate Read More …

Taking Pride in Community Learning

  Before ever having participated in a training, Recner Curitima and Kelly Maniwari Tapujima, a married couple living in the community of Puerto Prado, had heard of Minga Peru. The name had been mentioned by people in other communities and they were listeners of Minga’s radio program Bienvenida Salud which reaches over 120,000 listeners in Read More …