Emergency assistance for an earthquake in Peru

Much of the region was damaged or destroyed, including many of the residents’ stone and sun-dried brick homes. Roche Peru, with its 170 employees, responded with emergency assistance, but also promptly recognised the need to identify a longer-term initiative. They decided to assist a small mountain village, San Cristóbal de Chocos (also known as Chocos).

After the earthquake, we, the people of Roche, felt the motivation to do something to help. We asked ourselves: How can we really make a difference? That’s why we decided to go to the mountains, to the regions where aid would probably never arrive.

Rolf Hoenger

Former General Manager Roche Pharma Peru

Roche provided the funding to address the early critical reconstruction and development needs of the village for the first phase of redevelopment. This Phase One initial assistance meant emergency housing, planting of higher production crop seeds and skills training so the village could gain the long-term capacity to sustain the improvements.

2,820 meters

above sea the badly affected mountain village of Chocos is situated.

Phase Two was designed to enhance sustainable development by extending the capacity of the village to restore homes and public facilities, expand their farming techniques and crops, and improve their health and nutrition. This phase was especially facilitated through the donations of Roche employees globally.

Funds raised by employees were sufficient to secure a mix of up to four 4x4 municipal vehicles, 100 special breed cows or other critical livestock, 2,000 square meters of road paving, 3,000 square meters of roof tiles, 30,000 kg of nails as well as enough wheelbarrows, tools and school supplies for a year.

The river dam was completed with specialist input and the resulting year-round water-supply provided much needed support to more productive farming as well as better nutrition for the local population. The improved irrigation system will help extend the quality of the crops as well as improve live-stock production.

Engineers from Roche Diagnostics volunteered to build the first children’s playground following the disaster.

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