The Peru trip 2009 involved 24 Berwickshire young people plus 4 teachers, 1 youthworker and 1 doctor travelling to see for themselves how life is for the street children in Peru.  This was a school trip for Eyemouth and Berwickshire high pupils, facilitated by BCYT.  The trip was organised by the Vine Trust, a small Scottish charity that support different areas of work in South America.  Michelle Livingstone, who organised the trip for BCYT, is now their Education  and Development Officer. For more information on The Vine Trust click here.

 Former street boys at the Kusi centre

Whilst in Peru we visited Lima the capital city, made mud bricks in Kusi which is high in the Peruvian Andes, visited one of the Amazon Hope medical ships, stayed overnight in the boys centre in the Amazon jungle as well as visit edtheir newest centre in the Sacred Valley and whilst there took a trip to the famous Machu Piccu.

As a group we each committed to pay £1,000 towards the cost of the trip.  In addition to this we had to raise £30,000 through group fundraising and sponsorship.  We held coffee mornings, a car boot sale, a bag pack...but our biggest events were a sponsored bed push and sleep-out in November 2008. and the creation of a Mile of Coins  in May 2009. For the bed-push  we walked from Berwickshire High School in Duns to Eyemouth high school pushing a bed and then even though it was -2 degrees slept outside overnight in cardboard boxes! 

      about to set off from BHS                                       our snow covered beds!

In only a few weeks time the group will head to Edinburgh airport in the middle of the night to board a plane to Peru.  All flights are booked, all vaccinations are complete (or should be!), the malaria tablets are on order and the spare room is filled with all the important items on the kit list (working gloves, high factor sun screen, mosquito net, Spanish phrase book, a fully charged camera...) ready to be packed.  The Vine Trust has confirmed our action-packed itinerary (although it may still change, which adds to the excitement!), with a trip to the capital city of Lima, the world famous Machu Picchu, Lake Llanganuco, the historical town of Cusco and the opportunity to visit four of the street-boy centres they support in Peru.   Up in Kusi, high in the Andes where we'll stay for six days, we'll be working on another accommodation block for more street boys and we'll also visit the newest boys' centre in the Sacred Valley, hearing from the staff and boys there about their new home and family.

 We, the young people and staff from Berwickshire High and Eyemouth High, would like to thank all those who have supported us both financially and practically.  12 months ago we gave ourselves a target of £30,000 to reach and we are very nearly there - not quite, but very close - and we are very grateful for the kind generosity of many individuals, businesses, families, churches, groups, clubs, guilds, rotaries and friends and family.

Coming soon:

Accounts of what actually happened on the trip !