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Life Onboard |
LAST UPDATE
January 1, 2008
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| site design imagesparkle.com |
| December 4, 2007 |
Juan Tokeshi – Making Something from Nothing at Villa el Salvador |
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| Juan Tokeshi, a Peruvian of Japanese descent, or Nikkei, explains Peru’s desert landscape to participants by drawing a diagram |
Architect Juan Tokeshi joined Peace Boat from Panama to his homeland of Peru in order to educate participants about the low living standards many Peruvians face and how they have overcome them. As a longtime resident of Villa el Salvador, a sprawling slum city just south of Lima, and as an employee of that region’s branch of the Center for Development Study and Promotion (DESCO), Mr Tokeshi is well placed to discuss the current issues faced by residents of Villa el Salvador. |
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| Construction workers hard at work developing Villa el Salvador |
With the help of DESCO, Villa el Salvador has miraculously grown into a thriving city since its creation on barren desert in 1971. Now, it boasts 384 blocks of houses ranging from decrepit shacks to large concrete houses with gardens. More than 400,000 people call the slum area home and have been working together to improve the living conditions of the community at large. Originally, the Peruvian military moved Lima’s slum dwellers, most of who migrated from the countryside looking for work, to the desert area now known as Villa el Salvador. Today, Peru’s poorest people still migrate here. Initially, there were no houses, only shelters made from mud, sticks and stone. Thanks to constant development, however, established families enjoy solid houses, electricity, water and drainage. |
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When in Peru, some participants visited Villa el Salvador. Here Mr Tokeshi explains to them how he works to make the residents’ houses safer |
According to Mr Tokeshi, ‘After the basic needs of shelter and water are met, the development depends on the economic situation of each family.’ One area that Mr Tokeshi has been heavily involved in is modifying existing houses to accommodate the needs of the family. When couples start a family, for example, they need to increase the size of their house. It is also very common for people to have their own small family business which they run from home. Given the harsh climate and the fact that Peru is an earthquake prone country, Mr Tokeshi also advises people on how to make their houses safer. ‘People building their own houses are not experts, so we are advising them to build safe houses that can withstand earthquakes or other disasters,’ he said. |
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Children at one of Villa el Salvador’s many schools |
A central part of Mr Tokeshi’s work is developing public spaces. ‘It is very important to develop a public space, or a school, where people can gather,’ he explained. Since 1996, Peace Boat has been working with DESCO in the area to improve these communal areas. ‘Now the public space looks great. It’s really green and has pavements, and even a soccer field, thanks to the help of Peace Boat,’ he said. Over time, social services have been developed, and there are now several hospitals and many schools in the area. ‘Because there are so many children living here, public education is a really important part of our social services. Trying to sustain the children’s health and development and support their future is an important job for us,’ Mr Tokeshi commented. |
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| Hard at work: carpenters in the process of making Villa el Salvador’s world famous furniture |
What is most interesting about Villa el Salvador, however, is not the fact that it was built on a dry, barren desert. Rather, a solid collective volunteer spirit arose out of the need to improve the dire living conditions. The area’s job industry also grew out of the city’s needs. Now, it has thriving carpentry and metal work industries that provide material for houses. Some are larger factories, while there are nearly 3000 family–sized businesses, including making shoes, clothes and handicrafts. Transportation is dominated by motor taxis, of which there are 4000 companies. |
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| Mr Tokeshi joined participants on an excursion to paint a mural in Villa el Salvador |
Despite the triumphs of Villa el Salvador, it still has many unresolved problems, such as the fact that the city doesn’t have a good purification system for water. Currently, poor quality water is delivered by trucks to residents for a fee in 100 liter containers. There is also a lack of employment and low income. When asked by a participant about what the most important initial steps to take are when confronted with these sorts of problems, Mr Tokeshi responded by saying ‘It’s important to take action by yourself and not wait to take action. However, you also need to resolve a situation with advice from an expert and have a good plan before you start something.’ |
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