Current Grants

360 quinoa and kiwicha farmers in the Chicha-Soras and Sondondo Valleys will increase yields, generate income and secure markets for their products. They will incorporate traditional practices, such as restoration of terraces, to mitigate climate change and improve water management. Four new farmer associations will be created in the Sondondo Valley; eight existing associations in the Chicha-Soras Valley will learn new skills in business, management and production. A portion of the funds will also be used for operational support.

Improve the incomes of 660 small cattle ranchers from 2000 nuevos soles/mo. to 5,500 nuevos soles/mo. by helping them get higher milk production from their cows and converting the excess to less perishable products like cheese and yoghurt. Caritas will introduce high-nutrient, altitude-resistant alfalfa and improved production techniques that will result in healthier cows and greater milk production; improve infrastructure; develop a cheese-producing facility to produce and distribute quality cheese for the local market.

POF matched funds originating from the Microsoft Giving Campaign, Ansara Fund and Taos Community Foundation for revolving student loan funds which will help poor families cover the cost of school supplies in the Mazamari and Antaccaccacucho districts in the department of Junín. The individual school funds are managed by a committee of student leaders, parents and school personnel.

The revolving loan fund, which helps families cover the cost of school supplies and is managed by student and adult representatives at each school, will be expanded to 40 new schools. A total of 1200 children will be targeted with the goal of keeping 839 at-risk children in school, lowering the dropout rate to 2-3 percent, and ensuring that 361 additional children begin schooling.

Operational support to strengthen Ciudad Saludable’s ability to deliver on its mission and prepare it for the growth it expects to experience with new national programming and a more visible international profile. Ciudad Saludable will focus on improving operations and resource management, communications, fundraising, and evaluation.

GreenWood and its Peruvian partner PaTS train Yanesha artisans to create high quality decorative wood products using less desirable wood species. The goal is to provide the community with an alternative source of income, increasing the value of their parcels and discouraging clear cutting. GreenWood will provide technical training and PaTS will expand the product line and develop sales channels. The project objective is to increase sales to the point that 28 artisans are working at or near full capacity, increasing earnings from 120 nuevos soles ($42) to 300 nuevos soles ($105) per month.

The goal is to increase the productivity and environmental sustainability of producers in Junín and Pasco. Rainforest technical staff train the agronomists that train organized coffee and cocoa growers in best practices in production and harvesting and certification. Rainforest also helps develop markets for high quality, certified Peruvian products in the international marketplace. 

Loan fund used for pre-trade credit for small agricultural producers.

This project seeks to improve the income-generating opportunities for residents of the Conchucos valley through promoting the area as a tourism destination.  Currently, due to lack of tourist infrastructure, visitors tend not to stay but return to nearby Huaraz for eating and overnight stays.  Swisscontact will help form and develop an association of local businesses and other stakeholders (a Destination Management Organization) to support quality improvements in local tourism services; position and promote Conchucos as a tourism destination; and promote better conditions for tourism and private investment in the region.

This project seeks to increase income for producers in San Martín by incorporating new smallholder farmers into the supply chain for organic coffee. Five hundred farmers will receive comprehensive agronomic and business management training, and TechnoServe will help them gain access to investment capital and trade financing.

A revolving loan fund will offer financial support to five new students every year in the Arequipa and Trujillo campuses, such that by the year 2013 and beyond, 18 low-income students per year will finance their studies with loans from the fund, and graduates will find jobs as professionals in technical fields. By the year 2022, the loan will have supported 65 students. Repayments from graduates will finance an additional five new students per year.

The goal of the soil analysis project is to help 800 small farmers in the provinces of Trujillo, Pacasmayo and Chepén to analyze their soil, understand the results and implement the recommendations for improving the health of their soil.  Farmers receive training on fertilization, diversification of crops and introduction of profitable crops.

The Tecsup campus is on the edge of town with no public transportation. With the bus purchased using this loan, students will have transportation to their classes, free of charge.