📶✨ Secocha is now more connected than ever!

In the rural areas of Arequipa, internet access remains a major barrier to learning. While some important steps have been taken, many schools still face daily challenges: poor infrastructure, limited connectivity, lack of proper devices, and insufficient teacher training.

📊 According to the 2024 National Household Survey, only 35% of rural households in Arequipa have internet access. This statistic is a clear reminder that the digital divide remains deep in our region.

💡 To help change this reality, FIDAMAR has launched the “Connected Secocha” project, bringing virtual libraries, digital tools, and technology training to more than 1,100 students and teachers at School No. 40194 Ricardo Palma, located in the town of Secocha (Mariano Nicolás Valcárcel, Camaná).

This initiative builds on the successful experience of “Connected Huanca”, a project we developed in Ayacucho in 2024 that benefited over 330 students and teachers 🙌.

🌐 What does “Connected Secocha” include?

✅ Communication equipment, servers, and computers
✅ Hands-on training for teachers
✅ Continuous monitoring with key performance indicators (KPIs) 📈
✅ Guaranteed sustainability through an agreement with #UGELCamaná

🤝 We extend special thanks to our strategic partner Uayki – Todos Conectados for making this technological implementation possible. Together, we are connecting futures!

🚀 At FIDAMAR, we remain committed to innovation as a way to close educational gaps and create real opportunities in our country’s artisanal mining communities.

🌟 Transforming Education in Huanca: Toward Safe and Dignified Environments 🌟

In Ayacucho, more than 60% of educational institutions face inadequate and unsafe learning conditions, according to various official reports. This reality drives us to act urgently.

At FIDAMAR, as part of our commitment to artisanal mining communities, we are implementing the project “Safe Education at Jorge Meier High School”, located in the town of Huanca, Santa Lucía District, Lucanas Province. Our goal is clear: to create a safe, functional, and dignified environment for the more than 130 students who attend this school.

This project builds upon our previous interventions in the community, such as “Water for Education”, which ensured access to drinking water through innovative technology, and “Connected Huanca”, which brought satellite internet and virtual libraries to students. These initiatives aim to bridge critical gaps in infrastructure and access to educational resources.

To date, we have achieved 23% physical progress, and we expect to complete the work by the end of May this year. Key improvements include:

✅ Construction of a perimeter fence to ensure student safety
✅ Demolition of deteriorated structures that posed a risk
✅ Roofing of bleachers for safer and more appropriate use
✅ Replacement of the school’s entire electrical system
✅ Upgrades to classrooms and restrooms for a healthier environment
✅ Installation of educational furniture and technological/multimedia equipment, including projectors and laptops

This effort is made possible thanks to the active collaboration of #UGEL Lucanas and the #APAFA of the school. It also aligns with the goals of the National Educational Infrastructure Plan.

💡 We continue moving forward with commitment to transform education in our artisanal mining communities! 📚✨

🌱 “Allin Kausay Ispacas”: Toward a Community with Food Security and Well-Being

Since March 2025, in the rural community of Ispacas, district of Yanaquihua (Condesuyos, Arequipa), FIDAMAR has been implementing the “Allin Kausay Ispacas” project, which in Quechua means “Good Living in Ispacas.” This initiative, initially planned for one year, is being carried out in partnership with the NGO CEPDE and aims to improve food security and nutrition for vulnerable families, with a focus on households with children under the age of five.

📌 What does the project propose?

• Strengthen skills in vegetable production using eco-friendly techniques and in raising small animals (chickens and guinea pigs) for self-consumption.
• Promote healthy environments with an educational, health, and community approach.
• Actively engage local schools, the health center, and local authorities in a sustainable model.

📍 Ispacas is a rural community with significant needs, where most people rely on agriculture and artisanal mining. Only 17% of the population raises small animals, an activity mainly carried out by women, including pallaqueras (manual mineral gatherers).

✅ Just over a month since its launch, the project has already achieved:

• Signing of an Interinstitutional Commitment Act with community, education, and health representatives.
• Direct coordination with the Health Post to identify the families in greatest need.
• Enrollment of over 90 beneficiary families, surpassing the initial target.
• Active participation of local schools in productive activities.

“Allin Kausay Ispacas” aligns with SDG 2 (Zero Hunger) and SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals), and represents a concrete commitment to helping more families in high-Andean areas connected to artisanal mining achieve a dignified life and access to healthy, sustainable, homegrown food.

Let’s work together for a better life in Ispacas!

🩺💚 A day filled with hope in Río Grande!

On April 5th and 6th, we reaffirmed our commitment to the communities of the Río Grande district in Condesuyos Province (Arequipa) by carrying out a major free medical campaign as part of our program to promote quality healthcare.

📍At Miguel Grau School in Iquipí, and thanks to our partnership with the San Juan de Dios Clinic of Arequipa and their “Health Messengers Mission” program, more than 2,500 free medical consultations were provided to vulnerable individuals from Alto Molino, Iquipí, and other towns in the district.

Nearly 30 healthcare professionals offered specialized services in:

• General Medicine
• Orthopedics and Traumatology
• Dentistry
• Gynecology
• Ultrasound
• Pediatrics
• Psychology
• Laboratory and Pharmacy

This effort shows that when we unite our willpower, we multiply our impact. 🙌🏽

Our deepest thanks to the Río Grande District Municipality, UGEL Condesuyos, the Iquipí Health Center, and the Minas Ocoña Rural Police Station for their commitment and determined support in reaching those who need us most.

At FIDAMAR, we believe that caring for health is the first step in building stronger, more humane communities with greater opportunities.

💙 We invite you to learn more about what we’re doing for a more just, healthy, and compassionate Peru! Find us at www.fidamar.org

🎓✨ The 2025 edition of the FIDAMAR Scholarship is already underway! ✨🎓

On April 8th, we took another step forward in our commitment to providing quality education for young people from artisanal mining communities. After a rigorous evaluation process, we are pleased to introduce three talented young students who make up the second class of FIDAMAR scholarship recipients:

🔹 Rocely Antachoque, from Ispacas | Business Administration
🔹 Heydy Quispe, from Secocha | Marketing and Commercial Management
🔹 Benjamín Lopinta, from Chala | Automotive Mechatronics

Each of them represents a story of effort, perseverance, and a strong desire to grow and succeed 💪🏽✨

Thanks to our partnership with #SENATI Arequipa and the support of the UGELs of #Camaná, #Caravelí, and #Condesuyos, this program will offer them a comprehensive three-year technical education, including tablets, uniforms, and continuous guidance throughout the entire process.

At the scholarship award ceremony, we were also joined by our first cohort of scholars, Sarai Qquenta and Ana Gabriela Uscamayta, who shared their experiences and offered heartfelt words that moved everyone present 💬💙

We know the journey ahead will bring challenges, but we fully believe in the potential of our scholars. At FIDAMAR, we’ll be by their side every step of the way on this new path.

Thank you to all the individuals and institutions who make this initiative possible. With each scholarship, we open doors and plant real opportunities for the future of these communities.

Rocely, Heydy, and Benjamín: keep moving forward with your heads held high and hearts full of dreams. The future is yours. 🚀

🌟 Fidamar drives technology and education in Huanca

Transforming lives through technology and education is our commitment. In the rural community of Huanca, district of Santa Lucía, province of Lucanas, Ayacucho, we are making a difference.

Thanks to our collaboration with UGEL Lucanas, we have implemented tools in the early education center N° 255 “Mi Pequeño Mundo” and primary school N° 24397 “Cristo Rey” that open doors to the future:

✨ Recreational games that boost psychomotor skills
🔮 Smart boards that turn learning into an interactive experience
📰 Screens and projectors that amplify knowledge
🖥️ Laptops and multifunctional printers
📚 Training for teachers on the use and maintenance of technology

📈 Over 200 students in early childhood and primary education are benefiting directly!

This implementation is part of our “Huanca Conectada” project, which brings #DigitalEducation to classrooms. In collaboration with our strategic partner Uayki – Todos Conectados: Innovations to connect the world, we are bridging the connectivity gap with virtual libraries, satellite internet access, and local educational resources. 🌐

The key to sustainability: An inter-institutional agreement with UGEL Lucanas, ensuring that this transformation lasts.

And this is just the beginning… 🚀

In 2025, we will continue investing in educational infrastructure, safety, and equipment for the Jorge Meier secondary school in Huanca.

At Fidamar, we innovate, connect, and transform. Because education is the engine driving change in our artisanal mining communities.

Fidamar reaffirms its commitment to the health and well-being of the rural community of Ispacas, in the Arequipa region.
As part of our health support program, on October 26 and 27, we conducted a campaign offering 1,297 free medical attentions for vulnerable residents of the rural community of Ispacas, located in the Yanaquihua district, Condesuyos province.
This activity was carried out at the Health Center of the Rural Community of Ispacas, thanks to our partnership with the San Juan de Dios Clinic in Arequipa and its Mission Health Messengers program.
We were joined by nearly 40 healthcare professionals who provided free services in various specialties, including general medicine, orthopedics and traumatology, gastroenterology, dentistry, gynecology, obstetrics, ultrasound, pediatrics, psychology, laboratory, and pharmacy.
We extend our gratitude to the Rural Community of Ispacas, the Minor Municipality of Ispacas, and the Health Post of Ispacas, whose collaboration was essential to the success of this campaign.
As our final campaign of the year, this effort highlights our ongoing mission to improve access to healthcare in artisanal mining communities across our country.
To everyone who made this noble cause possible, thank you for your dedication and commitment to transforming lives!
We close this year with you, Ispacas, and with the firm conviction of continuing to build a healthier and more equitable Peru.

In Peru, it is estimated that only 58% of national educational centers have access to drinking water from the public network. The lack of this resource is one of the main factors contributing to growth delays and academic performance issues among children, as well as school absenteeism. 📚

That’s why, as part of our commitment to #health and #education in artisanal mining communities in our country, we have completed the installation and operational setup of drinking fountains with water purification systems in five key educational centers in the populated areas of Huanca (Ayacucho region) and Secocha (Arequipa region).

💧 These systems feature the innovative “BluAct” technology, developed by the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich, Switzerland, and based on milk protein. Our goal was to provide 100% drinkable water, free from contaminants and heavy metals, to over 2000 beneficiaries, including students and teachers.

Additionally, we ensure the sustainability of maintenance and continuous use of these drinking fountains thanks to the active involvement of the municipalities of Mariano Nicolás Valcárcel (Camaná province) and Santa Lucía (Lucanas province) districts, as well as the parents’ associations of each educational center. 🏫🤝

With our initiative “Water for Education,” we renew our commitment to positively impact the lives of our students through access to quality drinking water. 🌟

Thanks to the invitation from our strategic partner, UGEL Camaná, we had the honor of participating in the workshops held on September 9 and 10 in the city of Camaná, where we contributed to the validation of the diversified educational curriculum for the Arequipa region. This document will be key in guiding and strengthening education in the region, promoting its diversity and identity, and valuing local capabilities, with culture as the transversal axis of the new educational strategy.

Together with representatives from the Regional Education Management of Arequipa (GREA), we addressed crucial topics such as the sociocultural approach to education, the current needs and expectations of students, the physical and mental conditions affecting the school population, environmental problems and demands, access to technology and information, as well as the socio-productive activities of various sectors, both large and small scale.

Representatives from the municipalities of José María Quimper, Ocoña, and Nicolás de Piérola, from the province of Camaná, various local educational centers, UGEL Camaná, the National Police of Peru, and the Peruvian Institute of the Sea (IMARPE) participated in these workshops.

At FIDAMAR, we are convinced that the coordinated work between companies and private entities, academia, the State, and the general population is essential to achieving goals that drive the growth of our country.

Together, we continue to work to improve the quality of education and promote the development and growth of artisanal mining communities and the Arequipa region. 🚀

On September 2nd, we successfully concluded our UGEL Empowered program, in collaboration with our strategic partner, Enseña Perú.

This program was designed to strengthen the productivity and management of personnel in Local Educational Management Units (UGEL), helping them optimize their time in administrative tasks and thus enhance their contribution to pedagogical issues.

Over three months, we addressed key topics such as time management in meetings and agreements, optimizing schedules for activities and events 📅, efficiency in pedagogical tasks, and the use and automation of tools for presenting results 📊, all with continuous support and monitoring from specialized facilitators.

Some of the results achieved by the 14 pedagogical specialists were:

✅ 100% of participants created specific products for their roles, including guides and productivity tools. 🚀 More than 70% of the specialists applied prioritization and time management techniques, significantly reducing time spent on administrative tasks.

UGEL Empowered is part of our comprehensive effort to improve pedagogical and administrative management in the provinces of Camaná, Caravelí, and Condesuyos, in the Arequipa region. We thank all participants for their dedication and commitment to #ContinuousImprovement.

We remain committed to making a positive impact on the education of artisanal mining communities in our country!