Flashback #1: Poverty in Peru

During our travels through Peru, we saw many beautiful parts of the country, the natural wonders like Lake Titicaca and the Sacred Valley, and fantastic man-made cities like Machu Picchu and Ollantaytambo. Everyday was like a lesson in history and culture for us. Our tour guides at every stage were really superb - they were not only knowledgeable, but more importantly, passionate about their country, their past and their religion.

During the last couple of days in Lima, we actually got to see the other side of Peru - the poor, underprivileged and neglected. As we cruised past the historical city centre towards the North of the city, it was striking how the scenery changed gradually, but dramatically. From the beautifully carved buildings with their European-infused architecture, the traditional and cosy pubs which lined the street corners, the lavish and lofty houses that filled up the wealthy neighbourhoods of San Isidro and the chi-chi seaview apartments in Miraflores along the coast of Lima, we were greeted with the poverty striken areas of Lima. These shanty towns were a sharp contrast to their richer cousins. Just imagine - houses sloppily put together with straws and mud perched on hill after hill of dirty brown sand. I seem to remember they looked lop-sided and loopy, as if they could fall apart any moment.

I couldn't help but ask our tour guide on the state of these houses in the shanty towns. We were told that they had no sanitation, water or heating. Its inhabitants comprise people from the rural mountain/jungle communities up in the North of Peru, who came to Lima trying to make a better life. You'd think that this is the irony of life but apparently these conditions, and the lifestyles of these rural people, were considered significant improvements from where they came from. Back in the rural communities, these people would have to work 14-hour days, for a mere pittance of Peru Soles 0.50 (approx S$0.20) a day. In Lima, for the same number of hours peddling their goods (e.g. chewing gum, sweets, snacks etc), they could earn up to Peru Soles 10.00 (approx S$4.80) a day.

What is even more surprising - the current level of poverty in Peru stands at almost 40% of the entire population, with poverty being measured as earning less than Peru Soles 530 (approx S$250) a month. Out of this 40%, more than half live in EXTREME poverty, which is measured at an income of less than Peru Soles 150 (approx S$72) a month.

Recently, the Peruvian government claimed that they had, in 2008, reduced the level of poverty by 5%, a grand achievement apparently by Peruvian standards. Because there are no official or reliable independent statistics, no one will really ever know if that's true or if the level of poverty will continue to lower.

It's experiences like this that really put things in perspective. And I think we all need some of those once in a while.