Voluntube World 2019
Photostories and Photoportraits
Peru
VolunTube is a European Voluntary Service (Erasmus +) project between promoting organizations with a focus on video-making. During this project I worked in a binomial with Charlotte Breton. We created 16 photostories, 8 video-documentaries and 16 leaks (daily life short videos). Below, a selection of these portraits and stories. Most of them are about the inhabitants of Huaylas, the village of 1600 inhabitants where the project took place, in Ancash Region of Peru.
"If my son studies in Lima, my bakery will maybe disappear. Every day, it takes a lot of time for me to make the bread and here we are very far from the city. Therefore, I can't meet some people with another culture. One day, an association gave me the opportunity to host volunteers in my house, it was a unique chance to open myself to the world. Thanks to this initiative, I shared my food, my habits and I could teach them some words of my language. They could tell me how it works in their countries, and I could realize how much their lives can be different from mine. A few years later, I moved to another village and I wanted to develop this intercultural exchange for this second community. Today, I am very glad to be the coordinator between four families and foreign volunteers. This additional job enables me to have new skills and to be more in the heart of the association's life."
Victor, Huaylas, Ancash Region
Victor, Huaylas, Ancash Region
"I am terribly alone, and I live in poverty. Since I lost my parents when I was young, I have to work very hard every day of my life. I clean my house because I live in the dust, I go in the fields to feed my animals.
All my children left the village to study in Lima. One of them died early, the three others don’t visit me very often. I feel terribly sad and alone.I sleep on the floor with the skin of my animals. When it’s raining the water goes inside by the hole of my roof. I have no shower, no furniture, no electricity.But these days, young volunteers created a kitchen for me. It takes a morning for them to built it, but it will change all my life.I am 78 years old, and this is my life."
All my children left the village to study in Lima. One of them died early, the three others don’t visit me very often. I feel terribly sad and alone.I sleep on the floor with the skin of my animals. When it’s raining the water goes inside by the hole of my roof. I have no shower, no furniture, no electricity.But these days, young volunteers created a kitchen for me. It takes a morning for them to built it, but it will change all my life.I am 78 years old, and this is my life."
Aurora, Huaylas, Ancash Region
"Since my grandmother passed away, I decided to change my way of thinking.
When I was younger, I used to listen to her while she was reciting her poems. I loved how she gave emotions to people through her writings. My grandmother didn’t know how to read and how to write, so I wanted to record her when she recites.
I thought that I had time to do it and now I deeply regret it because last year, she passed away. This event is etched in my head and since that day, I don't want to put anymore to another day what I am supposed to do now.
She gave me her passion for art and since her death last year I started to write poems."
Miguel, Huaylas, Ancash Region
When I was younger, I used to listen to her while she was reciting her poems. I loved how she gave emotions to people through her writings. My grandmother didn’t know how to read and how to write, so I wanted to record her when she recites.
I thought that I had time to do it and now I deeply regret it because last year, she passed away. This event is etched in my head and since that day, I don't want to put anymore to another day what I am supposed to do now.
She gave me her passion for art and since her death last year I started to write poems."
Miguel, Huaylas, Ancash Region
"Knitting is not just a job for me. It’s what saved my mother. Nine years ago, the doctor told us that she has cancer. She left Huaylas to be treated in Lima, so at that time, we went many times to the capital to support her. I saw my mother becoming weak because of chemotherapy.
Then, someone told us about another kind of therapy, a way to forget the pain while the concentration is on knitting. We started to knit a lot together at the hospital and I was so relieved to see her feeling better. I didn't know that it could work so well.
Today, this time is behind us. She is healed from her cancer. Since that time, we didn't stop to knit and it became our work. It’s such a peaceful moment to be together in front of the panorama of Huaylas, enjoying life."
Liset, Huaylas, Ancash Region
Then, someone told us about another kind of therapy, a way to forget the pain while the concentration is on knitting. We started to knit a lot together at the hospital and I was so relieved to see her feeling better. I didn't know that it could work so well.
Today, this time is behind us. She is healed from her cancer. Since that time, we didn't stop to knit and it became our work. It’s such a peaceful moment to be together in front of the panorama of Huaylas, enjoying life."
Liset, Huaylas, Ancash Region
"When I was young, I wanted to study cosmetology but I didn’t have the opportunity.
I became cooker and waitress in the restaurant of my familly. I'm not desappointed about my carreer, cooking everyday is a real pleasure for me.
Now, I want the best for my children, if they want to study i will do my best to support them. Here in Huaylas the education level is less strong than in the big cities. One day, my daughter of 13 years old asked me to study in Lima during the 3 months of holidays. We accepted and we decided to buy a house in Lima and we come every year with our two children. I am very happy because I know that it could enable her to have a better future.
When my little son will be more autonomous, I would like to study gastronomy and maybe have my own restaurant."
Maritza, Huaylas, Ancash Region
I became cooker and waitress in the restaurant of my familly. I'm not desappointed about my carreer, cooking everyday is a real pleasure for me.
Now, I want the best for my children, if they want to study i will do my best to support them. Here in Huaylas the education level is less strong than in the big cities. One day, my daughter of 13 years old asked me to study in Lima during the 3 months of holidays. We accepted and we decided to buy a house in Lima and we come every year with our two children. I am very happy because I know that it could enable her to have a better future.
When my little son will be more autonomous, I would like to study gastronomy and maybe have my own restaurant."
Maritza, Huaylas, Ancash Region
Huaylas, Ancash Region, Peru
Photography : Elodie Delcey - Writing : Charlotte Breton and Elodie Delcey
"I saw my grandfather getting worse because of his disease. I was young and I really wanted to help him. I studied 3 years to become a nurse and I was practicing my lessons taking care of him. It was actually very close to my first child's dream which was to be a doctor.
Today, I work in a hospital in Lima and I feel that I have found the work made for me. I have realized that nurses are more in contact with patients than doctors, and this is what I really want.
Sometimes, I visit my mother in her native village to take care of her. She has a psychosomatic disease and it's important to see that the atmosphere of the countryside helps her to feel better."
Javier, Lima
Today, I work in a hospital in Lima and I feel that I have found the work made for me. I have realized that nurses are more in contact with patients than doctors, and this is what I really want.
Sometimes, I visit my mother in her native village to take care of her. She has a psychosomatic disease and it's important to see that the atmosphere of the countryside helps her to feel better."
Javier, Lima
"Although I was born and raised in a big city, being in connection with nature, is like vital for me. Even before start practicing yoga, I was feeling the special energy of the valleys of Peru, mountains and sacred temples from ancient cultures. Thanks to this region, I understood that it is very important to have some contact with nature for our health and well-being. When you stay in nature, observing the landscapes, touching the plants, smelling... you can really get in touch with yourself and your roots, and awake your real power. Living here also makes me realize the hard work that farmers do in order to supply food for everybody.
I started to promote respect for nature and work for the environment, motivating people to connect again with Mother Earth (Pachamama) and reach a better life for them and for all of us in this world."
I started to promote respect for nature and work for the environment, motivating people to connect again with Mother Earth (Pachamama) and reach a better life for them and for all of us in this world."
Alicia, Lima
Chinchero, Cusco Region, Peru
Photography : Elodie Delcey - Writing : Charlotte Breton and Elodie Delcey
