Take a three-minute glimpse into Camila Sarmiento’s life in Racracallan, Peru. Camila is part of the USA’s Peace Corps two-year program. She’s one month away from hitting her first year mark living and working in the Andean community of Racracallan.
Video produced and edited by Manuel Cuellar. Check out his other work on Vimeo.
Located in the Ancash region of Peru, 216 miles north from the capital Lima, Racracallan is an indigenous community, which lives under extreme poverty. As many other indigenous communities in Peru and across Latin America, Racracallan suffers from the abandonment of the Peruvian government and its people.
Camila hikes the second mountain of the morning. It certainly won’t be the last of the day. She looks up and senses a cold breeze coming from the glaciers that surround her. The Peruvian Andes are truly an inspiring site to hike. Black cordillera to the left and white to the right, her head floats 12,530 feet above sea level. Camila’s ears plugged into some music, eyes to the horizon and mind focused on one thing only: Teofila Espinoza. Teofila is one of the many mothers Camila has to talk to in order to add one more kid to her list. This visit will be what she calls her “nutrition sessions.”
Camila’s work in the community has been arduous and persistent. She’s slowly gaining the trust of women and kids of the community, but that didn’t come easily. She was born in Colombia and that has helped her with the language and culture barriers. USA’s Peace Corps program has only been active for two years in this community and there is still a long way to go. Nonetheless, Camila’s work will certainly be remembered for years to come.
