On many Peru treks you’ll be camping in communities and passing locals along the way. If you’re feeling like you want to bring something to give/trade here is a list of needed goods from a charity school near the Choquequirao Trek (provided by Amazonas Explorer).
THINGS TO BRING
Food: Fresh fruit, dry fruit, nuts & bread
Classrooms: Puzzles, white A4 paper, pencil cases, exercise books, rulers, pencils, pens, crayons, erasers, folders and plastic sleeves, toys for kindergarten, white board markers and white board erasers, felt markers, coloured chalks.
Sport equipment: Any type of balls, nets, bats, sports shoes, uniforms.
Art and craft: Glue, scissors, coloured (matt and glossy) cardboard of all sizes, tissue, crepe and cellophane paper, glitter, play dough, balloons, streamers, stickers, artist brushes, water paints, acrylic paints, masking tape, craft paper.
Music and drama: Any musical instruments, puppets, dress-up clothes.
Library: Spanish and/or English dictionaries, very basic children’s English books, children’s Spanish books, encyclopaedias (preferably in Spanish).
Computer room: Functional laptops, printers, colour and black ink, A4 paper.
Hygiene: Hand towels, liquid soap, shampoo, conditioner, toothpaste and tooth brushes (adult and children’s sizes), moisturiser, Sorbelene cream.
Health: Deep heat, topical antibiotic creams, general antibiotics, paracetemol for children and adults, multi-vitamins, anti-parasite medication, wart cream, antiseptic cream, quartazone cream, vaginal infection creams and antibiotics, ear and eye drops for infection. Band aids, bandages of all kinds, eye cleansers, thermometers, microscope, equipment to perform pap smears, eye and height charts.
For afternoon classes with the adults: Knitting yarn, cotton yarn, knitting needles of all sizes, crochet needles, pottery supplies, beads that can be used in jewellery making (especially wooden and ceramic beads), any type of cloth, sewing machines.
For the community: Any type of clothing for babies, children and adults; shoes, underwear, socks and stockings, hats, sunglasses, old reading glasses, kitchen utensils, pots, pans.
For construction: Any hand-held power tools.
