- The Wiese Foundation donated 887 containers of water, 2740 kg of food for communal kitchens, and medicine to aid Native communities in the district of Urarinas, in response to the environmental emergency.
The oil spill affected the primary source of life of the riverine communities of the Cuninico and the Marañón, since they use the river to obtain water for drinking and practice traditional fishing for food.
About the environmental emergency
On September 16, the inhabitants of the Native Community of Cuninico, in the district of Urarinas, reported sightings of hydrocarbon stains in the water of the Cuninico River basin, resulting from a crude oil spill caused by a leak in the North-Peruvian Pipeline.
According to the Organization for Environmental Evaluation and Inspection (OEFA), 848,400 square meters of water, 600 square meters of valley, 154,200 square meters of the Cuninico Valley, and 660,000 square meters of the left shore of the Marañón River were affected.
The oil spill directly contaminated the main source of life for the communities of the Cuninico River; this river is their primary source of water and food.
In this context, acting under its Humanitarian Aid Program, the Wiese Foundation – through its strategic ally ADRA PERÚ – donated 887 20-liter containers of water and 3,740 kg of food to aid 2,996 people in 887 families from 6 affected communities. All of the food was used for communal kitchens to feed the affected population. Furthermore, medicine worth over 3,000 soles was donated to the 272 families of the community of Cuninico.
Who are we helping, and in what way?
According to research, a total of 1,159 families, distributed among 7 communities, were severely affected by the oil spill, requiring urgent aid to obtain drinking water and food.
In the face of this situation, ADRA PERÚ attended to the needs of the 272 families in the Native Cuninico community by donating containers of water and food. However, there were still 6 communities that needed immediate attention.
| No. | Community | Population | Families |
| 1 | Cuninico | 867 | 272 |
| 2 | San Francisco | 193 | 58 |
| 3 | San Antonio | 430 | 146 |
| 4 | Maypuco | 1570 | 465 |
| 5 | 6 Mayo | 300 | 86 |
| 6 | San Pedro | 300 | 67 |
| 7 | Nueva Esperanza | 203 | 65 |
| TOTAL | 3,863 | 1159 |
Therefore, the Wiese Foundation joined the cause by donating 887 20-liter containers of water and 3,740 kg of food, for the communal kitchens that were implemented in 6 Native communities in the district of Urarinas, with the goal of reducing the effects caused by the spill. Regarding the donation of medicine, 52 types of medicine valued at more than 3,000 soles were acquired, which were given to the Cuninico Health Clinic in the district of Urarinas.
- Number of people helped: 2,996
- Number of families helped: 887
- Number of communities helped: 6
Thanks to this alliance between both institutions, the entire population of the 7 Native communities affected in the district of Urarinas received aid.
The Wiese Foundation reaffirms our work and commitment to give aid to the most vulnerable communities in the face of emergencies and disasters. To learn more about our Humanitarian Aid Program, click here.
