In May, the Arthur Kroeger College selected six PAPM students (second, third and fourth year) to intern for six weeks with Nexos Voluntarios, a non-governmental organization devoted to the social development of Peru. The students were (from top left): Skyler Brooks, Matthew Banning, Erika Muñoz, Belinda Kato, Leslie Muñoz and Terhas Ghebretecle. They were assigned to a project aimed at ending discrimination against indigenous peoples — a project that had been launched the year before by a previous group of PAPM students.
The work consisted of a preliminary analysis of discrimination in the public sector within the town of Urubamba where they were based. Along with their supervisors, the students divided the public sector into four areas of investigation: Health, Police, Education and the Municipality. Their research, findings and recommendations were contained in a formal report that was delivered to and presented in front of the mayor, distinguished guests, town citizens and members of the four divisions of the public sector.
The report concluded that the town’s public sector was marred by various forms of discrimination based on ethnicity, gender, language and place of origin, and that this was hindering municipal development. The final presentation, delivered to a full house of 106 participants, was well received both by the sponsoring agency, Nexos, and the town of Urubamba – and the experience, cultural and professional, will inform the students’ work to come, both inside and beyond the classroom.