Belén concentrates almost one quarter of the population of all Iqutos. The district includes 35 rural communities in the Amazon River basin, 21 rural communities in the Itaya basin and over 18 “asientamientos humanos”. More than 50% of all the area of district is located in flood areas!

Belén, despite the smiles of the people, faces huge problems: nearly half of its population have no access to water, no access to the drain, and no access to electricity. Illiteracy in children aged 0 to 12 years reaches 31% , malnutrition for 1999 reached 40%.

Carmen – Daniele and Carlos through the NGO La Restinga, work weekly in Belén with children but also their families, proposing activities about education, prevention of violence and disease, and ecological environment. Also we collaborated several times with Patchadams NGO.

The children and adolescents of the community after three years working with us, have visibly improved acknowledge about mistreatment, abuse, sexual exploitation and unwanted pregnancies, and they are able now to develop protective strategies facing these situations.
Finally, parents also have strengthened skills to protect their sons. Every time they identify the effects of violence on them and their community in general will be able to face them with specific tools, and will count on our direct support and help as well.

We can propose a tour: working there we feel that we can offer a very original and intense experience through Belén and its people, authentic and safe.

Our social activity in Belén