The project

Mano a Mano is located in the north area of Lima, in a popular-urban place called La Merced. Its population is 800 habts, and it is a part of the shanty town La Ensenada (20 000 habts). The shanty town has a very poor development. Most of the houses are made in straw (esteras) or in ply-wood. Life conditions are realy difficult and bring a lot of illness called poor desease (Tuberculosis, skin infections, inhaling infections...) and importants social problems (like violence, family violence, alcoholic problems...).

In order to fight dificulties, people are organised. This is how 3 women from La Merced, according to an important and long work, have opened in 1994 a drugstore (botiquin). Those women are health promotors, that is during several years, they got a vocational training about using medicine the best way, give emergency care, sale basic need medicine... This vocational training were giving by important health humanitary organization and from French nurses.

In 1997, in order to fight against youth criminality, school problems and poorty, Mano a Mano choose to include La Merced’s children in its project, using preventive health education and giving French classes. Bit by bit, children are keeping up once a week and classes are giving during summer holiday (vacaciones utiles).

Main objectives are to promote prevention, forming and support education and health topics. Activities main target is to offer to the children an open mind culture, welcome them in “their” clean place and keeping the parents up about education of their children.