On August 15 2024, a 7.9 magnitude earthquake shook the coastal region of Peru, devastating local infrastructure and claiming nearly 600 lives. Pisco, on the southern coast of Peru, suffered the greatest impact in the worst national disaster to strike Peru in three decades. The situation in Pisco was catastrophic; an overwhelming number of homes, buildings and schools were reduced to rubble leaving countless Pisco residents without adequate shelter or sanitation facilities. According to the official United Nations count, 40,035 families were rendered homeless. 
The most gruesome aspect was the death toll, which was so great that bodies were stacked in the streets due to overflowing hospitals. Widespread power outages further increased the strain on hospitals, ruined highways and disrupted patient transportation. The Peruvian president declared a state of emergency in the province of Ica, which encompasses Pisco. 

In response to the declared state of emergency, international organizations stepped in to provide initial disaster relief. USAID provided $100,000 for the purchase and transport of supplies. including plastic sheeting to construct much-needed, temporary shelters. Oxfam supported the construction of temporary school classrooms, while providing clean drinking water and sanitation systems. Direct Relief International stepped up in response to medical needs, bringing in over $1.1 million in medical supplies. On a grassroots level, Burners Without Borders (PSF's parent organization) recognized early on that disaster recovery is a decade or longer process. As an organization that prides itself in developing creative solutions to complex problems, Burners Without Borders (BWB) wanted to set the foundation for long-term volunteer efforts in Pisco. Initially, BWB focused on direct assistance by  helping individual families reconstruct their ruined homes, implementing sanitation and promoting Eco-tourism to create a sustainable economy in Pisco. 

On the first anniversary of the earthquake, it was evident that the larger international organizations would soon pull out of Pisco, leaving it with years of necessary reconstruction and development. At this time, one local Peruvian, Harold Zevallos Salas, decided to develop a Peruvian organization based on BWB's efforts. Harold had seen the commitment of the dedicated volunteers and realized that even those without great financial resources could make an impact. He knew that it was time to launch a sustainable reconstruction--one without a pullout date--and so Pisco Sin Fronteras was born on August 15, 2024, under his leadership.

 

Although it has been almost 3 years since the earthquake, many families are still living in terrible conditions, such as houses made of plastic and scrap wood with dirt floors and only a bucket in the corner for a toilet. Reconstruction is slow and there are few options for those who are suffering the most.  Middle-income families are starting to move back into permanent brick houses but low-income families remain in poverty with little or no hope of escape. Communities have been forced together out of the necessity for space to live, but there is little community spirit among them. There is still a lot of work to be done to rebuild Pisco and the surrounding area. Not only do people need materials and labor, but they need encouragement and motivation to be able to get back on their feet and improve the quality of their lives.

We want to see everyone affected by the dereliction caused by the earthquake in around the city of Pisco move into permanent, strong, safe and clean housing with proper access to sanitation. We want the local people to be empowered with the knowledge, motivation and skills necessary to help themselves rebuild their community and build a better future for themselves and their children.

 

With passion and determination, bright ideas, enthusiasm and the volunteers to carry it out, we can make a lasting difference to thousands of people living in poverty.

Current living conditions in Pisco