Baby formula for HIV+ teen mothers in Lima, Peru

Two shipments carrying over $2 million in aid arrived in Lima Peru on January 3, 2014. The shipment contained 40 Hill Rom hospital beds, 6 gurneys, 14 exam tables and over 1,000 crutches and walkers. The shipment also contained 20 pallets of medical supplies including 200 boxes of surgical gloves valued at over $50,000.

Based on the success of our new initiative in Peru called Medical Student Health Care Initiative managed by Dr. Michael Halperin, VIDA will be sending its second contingent of third year medical students from Saba University Medical School in the Dutch Caribbean. The project links medical school students here in the United States and abroad to the Peruvian healthcare system through a two week visit to hospitals and clinics throughout Peru working with health care professionals and documenting the healthcare system in Peru.

The trip will include a three day stay in the Amazon where the students will be joining a team of doctors and health care workers as part of the Puente de VIDA program. The students will assist in screening and treating the patients, many of whom have never seen a doctor.

Six shipments carrying over $10 million in aid arrives in Peru.  In September and October 2013, VIDA Peru has received generous donations from our warehouse in Emeryville, California and our partners Americares and Direct Relief.  The shipment contains much needed hospital equipment from hospital beds to anesthesia machines, 80 pallets of medical supplies, and a shipment of antibiotics. These donations will be distributed to over 20 projects throughout Peru.

VIDA is also excited to announce our new pilot program called Medical Student Health Care Initiative managed by San Francisco based physician Michael Halperin.  The project links medical school students here in the United States and abroad to the Peruvian healthcare system through a two week visit to hospitals and clinics throughout Peru.  The inaugural trip included medical students from Saba University Medical School in the Dutch Caribbean.  The students spent 10 days visiting VIDA program sites and working with health care professionals and documenting the healthcare system in Peru.

A highlight of the trip was a visit to VIDA’s Pamplona project where many of Peru’s poorest residents live.  There they witnessed the ramifications of the serious issues plaguing the Peruvian healthcare system: overcrowding at public institutions, very long wait times, little coordination, strained allocation of health resources and personnel, especially where need is greatest.  VIDA Peru’s projects fill the gaps in the resource starved healthcare system.  The one room clinic serves a population of 10,000 inhabitants and delivers primarycare and educational programs to help minimize preventable illnesses. 

Four ocean containers and one airlift carrying over $4.5 million in aid arrived in Peru in March 2013.  The three containers were filled to capacity with hospital beds, exam tables, wheelchairs, surgical kits along with thousand of boxes of much needed medical supplies.

These donations will be distributed to over 40 clinics and hospitals including programs that work with patients suffering from HIV. This donation will benefit tens of thousand of patients who are too poor to be able to receive medical treatment.  La Comunidad de Ninos Sagrada Familia in Ventanilla, Peru is receiving one of the containers and will receive a portion of the antibiotic shipment.  This orphanage houses and educates over 800 children ranging in age from birth to 16 years old.  VIDA is committed to serving the long-term needs of the orphanage as well as helping to alleviate the immediate suffering of the children who are fighting infection due to poor sanitation and other risk factors associated with poverty.

 We are also excited to announce that four shipments are leaving our warehouse in Emeryville carrying valuable medical supplies and equipment in May 2013.  This will benefit tens of thousands of people suffering in Peru.  VIDA is working hard to surpass our 24 shipments in 2012 and have set a goal of shipping 30 containers in 2013.  This incredible program would not be possible without your support!

Two containers carrying over 150 hospital beds along with a third container carrying over $3million in antibiotics arrived in Lima in early December.  These donations will be distributed to over 30 clinics and hospitals including programs that work with patients suffering from HIV.  Each of these hospital beds has a useful life of over 30 years.  

This donation equates to a staggering 54,600 patient days over the useful life of these beds.  Sadly ,many of these hospitals do not have even beds for their patients to convalesce.  Beds and other equipment are an important donation that honors the dignity of every human being.  Thank you for making this donation possible.  The shipment of antibiotics will help alleviate the immediate suffering of tens of thousands of patients who are fighting infection.  Infections are a systemic problem due to poor sanitation and other risk factors associated with poverty.

We are also excited to announce that three shipments are leaving our warehouse in Emeryville carrying valuable medical supplies and equipment.  This will benefit tens of thousands of people suffering in Peru.  This will cap off a record year of shipments to Peru.  Thanks to your generosity, VIDA will ship 24 containers of aid in 2012!  Thank you for your continued support in 2013 and beyond.

Hello donors!

We have great news to report - And - turns out we have an anonymous donor willing to match your donations!

If you simply enroll as a recurring donor - for as little as $5-10 a month for example. Your donation will be doubled!

This is the case for all of our Global Giving projects - Peru, Chile and Haiti. We hope this motivates you!

Meanwhile:

Two jammed packed containers carrying over $6 million in aid cleared customs and arrived at VIDA Peru’s warehouse in July 2012. The first container carried medical supplies and equipment to benefit the numerous hospitals and clinics operating throughout greater Lima.  These clinics serve some of the poorest people in the country including the shantytown’s such as Pamplona located in the barren mountains surrounding Lima. The value of the shipment exceeded $1,000,000 and included basic medical supplies, vitamins and exam tables.

In collaboration with Gymboree Corp., VIDA shipped a second container of brand new children clothing manufactured by Gymboree. The shipment contained 250,000 garments, footwear and bedding with a value in excess of $5 million. VIDA Peru is in the process of distributing the donations to 30 institutions serving Peru’s most impoverished citizens including hospitals, clinics, orphanages and schools who will serve over 100,000 people.  A part of the Gymboree donation will benefit the orphanage La Sagrada Familia, which is home to over 800 orphans.  

This donation was also made possible by the generous support of Otis McAllister (otismac.com) a San Francisco based company that underwrote all transportation costs for these two shipments.  Coupled with the donations from the Global Giving community to offset the import fees, tens of thousands o f children are dressed in warm clothing this cold winter season.

Your Global Giving donations make it possible to deliver the containers to Peru. Last year we shipped 41 containers to Latin America. Our goal this year is 50. We are capable of delivering 70+containers of supplies but must raise the funds for each container. Delivery of the containers cost about $7,500 based on shipping and import fees. On average, for every $1 donated, VIDA sends over $150 in aid!

VIDA is currently working on three shipments of medical aid scheduled for September 2012.  VIDA and Gymboree are currently working on a shipment in October 2012 slated to arrive in late November in time for the holiday season.

If your company is in a position to sponsor a container - please give us a call to discuss the details.

Thank you all for your on-going support. You are making a huge difference!