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What?

This project will improve San Pedro Educational Center by allowing students to access a computer laboratory. This lab will ensure students have computer lessons and learn to use software such as Linux, Ubuntu, and Open Office. The curriculum that will be developed to be used in the laboratory will focus on the ethical use of software, open source contributions, and intellectual property rights.

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Why?

Education in the Ica Region has been severely disrupted due to the destruction of the majority of the area's schools. Currently, Ica's educational system struggles with indefinite school closures, its insufficient capacity, and an unstable infrastructure. As part of Coprodeli’s reconstruction efforts in the region, the San Pedro Education Center began construction in 2008 with the aim of serving 500 students. The majority of these students would otherwise face extreme poverty and have no access to basic services.

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How?

An existing classroom will be converted to create the computer with the addition of tables, chairs, acrylic whiteboards, and PCs. These PCS will have open source operating systems and software and will serve as the platform for the newly developed computer literacy curriculum.

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History of San Pedro Education Center

Chincha Province shares a rich cultural, social and economic history with other parts of Peru, dating from the Inca civilization, that contributes to a strong sense of national pride. In Chincha, 94.4% of all homes were destroyed or damaged by the 2007 earthquake along with schools, hospitals, community centers and sites for other public services. Already poor conditions were compounded in the aftermath of the earthquake, leaving many struggling. The average income for many families in Chincha Baja is approximately $100 per month while the monthly cost of living to meet basic needs is $150.

In Chincha, Coprodeli will build 211 homes in the San Pedro urban center, along with a school to serve 650 students, a medical center that will benefit 25,080 individuals directly each year, and a youth outreach center that will attend to the needs of some of the area's most vulnerable children.

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Climate

From January to April, temperatures in Chincha Baja average 30°C (86.4°F). During the remaining months, the sun is generally covered by clouds, resulting in extreme humidity, dampness, fog and temperatures around 11°C (41.8°F) during the day and lower at night.

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Challenges facing San Pedro Education Center

Nearly half of Chincha's population live in poverty and 25% of this group are extremely impoverished. The limited public services that were available prior to the earthquake were decimated and have not been reinitiated. Access to healthcare, education, child protection, housing and employment opportunities are all critical needs that must be addressed.

Due to Chincha Baja's lack of basic services, people with sufficient financial resources often leave for larger cities like Lima or Ica. The loss of these individuals drains resources from the region and further isolates the impoverished. Poor students often lose motivation and drop out of school to assist their families by earning an income. As a result, there is a large achievement gap between poor and wealthy children.

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Main Occupations

Agricultural work and fishing are the most common occupations in Chincha Province. Prior to the earthquake, the unemployment rate for men was 11.9% and 13.3% for women. Since the earthquake, men’s unemployment rate has increased to 16.2% while that for women has leapt to 26.1%.

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