Atlanta teens learn that it takes a village
Atlanta Journal-Constitution, July 7, 2004
By Joel Hall
It was the kindness of strangers in the small village in Peru that turned out to be overwhelming. That, and artichokes.
"The way they treated us was amazing," said Tasneem Ahmed, a 16-year-old student at Pace Academy. "They had nothing to eat but would give you anything they had."
Callie Yow, 16, also from Pace Academy, came away with a greater appreciation for the artichoke. "I saw artichokes prepared in ways I've never seen them prepared," she said.
The two were among a group of 10 students from the CARE Corps Teens who were sent to Peru last month by CARE, an Atlanta-based relief organization. They spent a week in several villages, including Huaraz, where they worked with villagers raising artichokes and digging irrigation trenches.
Huaraz lies near the base of the highest mountain in the Peruvian Andes, Huascaran, and is an eight-hour bus ride north of the capital, Lima.
"It wasn't a resort," said Tasneem, recalling how she was overcome by altitude sickness one day during her stay there. She had to remain in a bus on a hill, watching members of her group toil below.
Then two boys from the village ran up the hill, came into the bus and offered her flowers and hugs.
Tasneem said it was just one example of the kindness the villagers showed the Atlanta high schoolers, a kindness that transcended the language difficulties. Many villagers in Huaraz are native speakers of Quechua, the ancient language of the Incas, so communication was difficult.
Callie recalled how, despite their poverty-ridden circumstances, the people of Huaraz were extremely content and possessed a strong sense of community. "One day a week, all of the villagers would join up and work all day" on some public project, she said.
Callie said she enjoyed helping the villagers, but that the reality was that they were already helping themselves, for the most part. "It was probably the most worthwhile thing I have ever done in my life," she said.
The students also showed villagers how to separate their organic and inorganic garbage, how to use the organic garbage to make compost to grow fruits and vegetables, and how to use fruit peelings to make potpourri, which can be sold for revenue.
The artichoke, which is not native to the Peruvian Andes, was introduced to the region to supplement the mostly potato-based diet of the villagers and provide them with a valuable cash crop for export.
Mia Redd, manager of CARE Corps Teens, said the program has been helping young people become better global citizens for the past five years.
"We work with teens to increase their personal responsibility," she said. As a result, "they are able to be really good ambassadors."
The program focuses on internationally aware, service-oriented young people who want to step outside of their regular community service. "You can't get that experience inside the classroom," Redd said.
The other members of the team that went to Peru were Vanessa Burton, Adrienne Everett, Amya Davis and Katie Letzler of Riverwood High School; Nadia Moreno of Lakeside High School; Eden Smith of Atlanta International School; Catherine Mencher of the Westminster Schools; and Alton Butler of Lithonia High School.
For more information about CARE Corps Teens, go to www.care.org or call Mia Redd at 404-979-9178.
