PEACE CORPS
In 2011, my wife and I joined the Peace Corps. We served for more than two years in the upper Amazon basin in the small farming village of La Jalca.
It was honor to live and work in the community. We were the first Peace Corps volunteers in this part of the country and the first North Americans to live in La Jalca. The national government designated the community the Folklore Capital of Amazonas for its rich culture, history, and tradition. Though one of the most beautiful places in the world, La Jalca struggles with extreme poverty, a changing climate, and poor sanitation services. I worked with community leaders on a number of projects to improve the quality of drinking water and cut indoor air pollution.
I also worked with my wife, who through incredible perseverance helped the community find funding, technical support, and legal council for a multi-year project to preserve 72 square miles of cloud forests. The Peruvian National Government in 2015 granted the title to the area.
Combating Lung Disease in La Jalca
I led a team in the creation of an inexpensive stove from local materials that reduced lung disease.
Reduce lung disease
We came up with dozens of ideas before paring them down.
We talked to people in the community, asked questions and observed how people cooked meals in the home.
I formed a diverse team of local leaders, end-users, medical staff and craftsmen.
Using mud, straw, bricks, and a bit of cement, we built and tested makeshift models. Feedback from the users helped us refine and remake the design.
I worked with local carpenters throughout the process. They were able to spread the model, augment their incomes and assure the project lived on when I left.
Tradition, economics, and limited resources force women to cook on indoor fires.
2013 Cookstove Project Process
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