Posts Tagged ‘Peru’

FairMail for and by local teenagers: Anidela and Angeles new co-managers

Monday, April 24th, 2017
Our new co-managers Anidela and Angeles

Our new co-managers Anidela and Angeles

Since the 1st of April FairMail Peru has a new co-management team: former teenage photographers Anidela and Angeles take over the tasks of Maria Flor and Betty who are both pursuing new goals to study and work abroad.

For and by local teenagers

We have very good experiences with employing former teenagers for management positions since 2014 when Maria Flor, Yuli and later also Betty became the local managers. This way FairMail Peru not only exists for local teenagers but also exists thanks to the same teenagers who make promotion into a coordinating function.

To be honest, we already had a bit of an eye on Anidela and Angeles since we selected them for FairMail’s European promotional tour in 2015. Since then our confidence in these two 19 year old girls has only grown. And with their continued focus on their education they are great examples for the current teenagers of what you can achieve with a motivated and responsible attitude.

Anidela when she entered FairMail in 2011

Anidela when she entered FairMail in 2011

Angeles when she entered FairMail in 2013c

Angeles when she entered FairMail in 2013

Big challenges ahead

After a one month training period they officially started on the 1st of April 2017. Anidela says “what I like about my job is to be able to develop myself on a personal and professional level and at the same time help the teenagers with their photography through my own ideas and suggestions.”. Of course their young age and little management experience will make their new jobs all the more challenging. Angeles says about this: “my biggest challenge will be to win the trust of the teenagers, Peter and Janneke. I hope they will put their trust in me so we can have a good relationship and communication. Because that is the basis for FairMail to function well.

Thank you Maria flor and Betty!

The first weeks look very promising and we very much look forward to see them grow further. We would like to thank Maria Flor and Betty one more time for their great work as co-managers for FairMail Peru for 3 years and 1 year respectively. And we wish them all the best in finding a great family in the United States where they hope to be working as Au Pair very soon.

Information Session FairMail Photography Trips to Peru

Wednesday, February 15th, 2017
Juan Gabtiel showing his pictures to the local youth

Juan Gabtiel showing his pictures to the local youth

On Saturday the 20th of May we are organizing an information session about FairMail’s photography trips in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. The program starts at 4.30 pm.

During the event we will explain the concept of the FairMail Photography trips in general and go into detail about the specific upcoming trips. Also you can ask any questions you might have and meet other interested participants who might be coming along.

Registration for the event is required and possible via this link.

The highs and lows of the Peruvian FairMail teenagers in 2016

Wednesday, February 15th, 2017
FairMail Peru photographer Dante

FairMail Peru photographer Dante

The beginning of the year is a good moment to look back at your highs and lows of the past year. And to make plans and set goals for the coming year. We asked the FairMail teenagers to put their thoughts on paper for us.

Paul for example has as goal to become photographer of the year for example and Diana hopes that after all the setbacks in 2016, 2017 will be a better year for her. Angelica hopes to get accepted to the national university and Anidela wrote about the worries she and her family had about the health of her mother.

You can read the teenagers’ stories on their personal profile pages. There you can also link to their Facebook, send them an email, see how much they have earned with the sale of their photographs and see the fair trade cards with their pictures on it.

Photo report Photography trip to the “lost empire of the Chachapoyas”

Wednesday, February 15th, 2017
FairMail photography trip to aChachapoyas

FairMail photography trip to Chachapoyas

In January 5 of the Peruvian FairMail teenagers set off to the Peruvian cloud forest.  Accompanied by 5 enthusiastic photo amateurs who had booked a place to come along on one of FairMail’s photography trips.

The destination of the trip was the “Lost Empire of the Chachapoyas”, a beautiful area in the North East of Peru where the Chachapoyas civilization reined until 500 years ago. They were one of the few civilizations not to be conquered by the Inca’s. In this area you can find the second highest waterfall of the world, a bigger, older and higher lost city then the famous Machu Picchu in the South and over 60 mummies from high placed officials.

FairMail Photography Trip to Chachapoyas

FairMail Photography Trip to Chachapoyas

All in all a beautiful area to take pictures together. Of the nature, the local people and of the teenagers’ ideas for new fair trade greeting cards of course! You can watch the photos of the trip on FairMail’s Facebook page or you can watch the video of an earlier trip to Chachapoyas here.

Are you curious to find out travelling with FairMail is an option for your next holiday? Then register for our next Information Session about our photography trips.

How do the FairMail teenagers celebrate Christmas?

Monday, December 5th, 2016
Angeles celebrating Christmas with her family

Angeles celebrating Christmas with her family

“In Peru we have the tradition to celebrate Christmas with our families in our homes.” according to Julissa. Her colleague Anidela explains how the preparations work: “Normally we get together first to organize things and to plan who will bring what on Christmas day.”

“On the day itself we meet at 8 pm in my aunt’s house. First we prepare the table and decorate it with flowers. It is filled with chicken sandwiches, Christmas bread, Turkey and chocolate milk. When everything is ready we have dinner together. But no until one of us says a few words about the wishes we have as a family for next year. After midnight we share hugs. First with the family and then with the neighbours too. That is our tradition of celebrating Christmas.”

Not all of our teenagers live with their actual families. Some of them live in the Mundo de Nino’s boys home. Pauls says: “Yes we celebrate Christmas in Peru. I spend it with my family of the boys home.”

The Cacao Route – Photo documentary

Wednesday, October 26th, 2016
Children of cacao producers from the Peruvian Amazon showing their parents harvest

Children of cacao producers from the Peruvian Amazon showing their parents harvest

In August the Peruvian FairMail teenagers made an unforgettable journey along North Peru’s Cacao route (see video here). This not only provided a unique insight into the “From Bean to Bar” chocolate producing process. But also resulted in a photo documentary series with amazing photographs of the various production stages and inspiring stories by the cacao bean producers.

From Coca to Cacao

We all got quite inspired by the story of the founder of Mishki Cacao, a female run chocolate producing cooperative. During our visit to their artisanal chocolate factory she explained about the prior negative influence of coca cultivation in the area. This raw material to produce cocaine was an attractive cash crop for many farmers of the Amazon. Unfortunately, the presence of drug traffickers and -producers created an atmosphere that made it difficult for the women to keep their sons and husbands on the right track.

Cacao beans after drying

Cacao beans after drying

Cacao cultivation was introduced as an alternative source of income, but unfortunately not as profitable as coca. Unless added value could be created in the form of local chocolate production. With this mission in mind the women fought hard to make their dream reality. Now they have their own professional production facilities, sell their chocolate all over the country and have won international awards for their chocolate’s quality.

From Bean to Bar

Apart from visiting and photographing Mishki Cacao, the FairMail teenagers also visited the factory of La Orquidea which produces organic chocolate for the export market. And they visited the friendly cacao producers in the jungle village of Tununtunumba to learn more about cultivation and post-harvesting.

Production of organic cacao

Production of organic cacao

Chocolate Photo Series

The teenagers’ images have resulted in a beautiful photo series telling the story behind the delicious chocolate. This photo series is now available for photo exhibitions, marketing campaigns, year reports and chocolate packaging.

Please contact us if you are interested to learn more.

One of the friendly cacao producers from the Amazon village of Tununtunumba

One of the friendly cacao producers from the Amazon village of Tununtunumba

New kid on the block: Julissa

Wednesday, October 26th, 2016
FairMail Peru photographer Julissa

FairMail Peru photographer Julissa

Since august FairMail Peru has a new kid on the block. Julissa (16) successfully fulfilled her trial period with FairMail and filled the empty spot left by retiring Angeles.

Just like Angeles we recruited Julissa from the local YMCA which works with families trying to make a living on the local garbage belt.

Julissa and her family

Julissa and her family

Julissa seems to be a fast learner as she scored her first FairMail Christmas card on Greetz and for our German card publisher in no time (available in FairMail’s webshop next month)!

Julissa's first fair trade Christmas card

Julissa’s first fair trade Christmas card

Read more about Julissa here.

Maria flor: FairMail’s first university graduate

Wednesday, September 7th, 2016

This year FairMail is celebrating its tenth anniversary. We got the biggest gift of all from former FairMail Peru photographer Maria flor who became the first FairMail teenager to get a university degree! And also the first in her family. In July she defended her thesis successfully and finished the 5-year communications sciences degree at the UCV private university.

Stand out from the rest
When Maria flor started studying she had a very clear goal: to stand out from the rest. As this would be the best guarantee for a better future. A clear example of this is the story she told about her best memory over the past 5 years:

250MF1At my private university the monthly fees are very high. When I went to pay for my second semester the secretary told me I didn’t have to pay anything as I got the highest grades of all during the first semester. I was sure it had to be a mistake. So I asked her to check again please. But it was true. I was in shock and couldn’t think at all. But later in the bus back home I was very happy that all my effort, dedication, determination and invested time had been worthwhile.

In many of the following semesters Maria flor repeated this performance and received more scholarships for her high scores.

Finding a job in Peru
Even with a university degree finding a good job is not easy in Peru. A lot depends on who you know amongst potential employers so they can recommend you. Moreover, most employers are looking for employees with experience. And usually the first years you have to deal with being lowest in the hierarchy so your next job can be better. To increase your chances to find a job it is also very important to have various degrees.

Plans for the future
So it looks like Maria flor isn’t finished studying yet. She wants to complement her degree with studying English, graphic design and audio visual techniques. And she wants to work as Au Pair in the USA for one year.

Perhaps it sounds a bit crazy because normally after finishing university people look for a job. But I want to try something different as I like learning new things, work on my English and feel that I can do something by myself as I have always lived with my mother, brothers and sister. When I return I want to study “international business” and travel to Canada as there are opportunities for Peruvian students to do an internship there.

That’s Maria flor, always working on new goals.

The next generation
With Maria flor out of university we currently have two Peruvian teenagers in University: Yuli and Anidela. Actually three as Juan Gabriel just started studying communication sciences at the UPAO private university in August. On his way to become FairMail’s first male university graduate?

Video FairMail photography trip “La Ruta del Cacao”

Wednesday, September 7th, 2016
FairMail photography trip

FairMail photography trip “La Ruta del Cacao”

In the end of July 5 of FairMail’s teenage photographers set off for a 10 day photography trip to the Peruvian Amazon. Together with 6 photo fanatics from the USA, Italy, Germany and the Netherlands they followed the “Cacao Route” learning all about the cultivation, harvesting and processing of cacao. Besides taking amazing cacao photos for our stock photography clients they also worked hard on images for FairMail’s new greeting card collection.

Watch photo’s of the trip here or check out this short video to get an impression of the amazing trip:

Information session FairMail photography trip

On the 8th of October we are organizing an information session for those interested in coming along with us during one of the next trips. Read more here.

Information session FairMail photography trip on 8th of October

Monday, June 27th, 2016
Taking pictures of the local beauty together with FairMail's teenage photographers

Taking pictures of the local beauty together with FairMail’s teenage photographers

Is Peru also on your bucket-list for holiday destinations?

The best way to get to know the real Peru is travelling together with the locals: the FairMail teenagers. During FairMail’s photography trips you travel together to off-the-beaten-track destinations in Northern Peru, sharing the joy of taking pictures of the local beauty you encounter.

For those interested to learn more we are organizing an information session about FairMail’s upcoming photography trips on the 8th of October in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.

Read more about FairMail’s photography trips here or register to participate by clicking here.

Or check out the video of January’s trip into the cloud forest: