The South American nation of Peru is a developing country, with a population of over 28 million people. More than 50% of Peru’s people are living in poverty. Poor water quality and a high incidence of malaria present special challenges to the people living in the remote villages which line the major rivers of Peru.

Since 2001, Rivers of the World (ROW) has been conducting service missions along four major rivers in Peru -- the Napo, Oroso, Yanayaku, and the Apayaku -- providing medical and dental care, among other services, to the inhabitants of the villages along these rivers. Currently, ROW is in the planning stages of the construction of a hospital boat, similar in size and capabilities to a boat they are already operating in Brazil. (Click here to see a schematic of the boat.) This boat will allow ROW mission teams to access some of the most remote river villages of Peru, bringing quality health care and other services to those in need.

IHSF first became involved in this project in early 2007, and is committed to supporting ROW in its mission of making this hospital boat a reality. Our role is to assist in securing the needed resources to accomplish the construction of the boat and to support the process of making it operational.

ROW is currently seeking donations and volunteers to support their work in Peru. If you or your organization would like to help, please visit www.row.org. If you are interested in going on a medical mission in Peru, please contact IHSF.

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