At the end of November 2024, Minerva (Mini) had a motorcycle accident, resulting in multiple bone fractures and ruptured tendons. 😭 The family had made all the efforts to pay for her two operations so far. One of the most engaged was Eugenio, since the two had been especially close since their childhood. Taking additional shifts at a copper mine to help Mini, Eugenio himself had a serious accident and is loosing his sight, apart from the third degree burns and a broken leg. He will never see again without several surgeries. 😱

This is a tragedy for this entire very humble, poor family from a small indigenous community in Peruvian Amazon. Apart from Mini and Eugenio, they all still live in the village, and their possibilities for generating money are extremely limited. The state won't cover the costs, and the mine has also refused to help. 😖

Imagine the desperation. Mini and Eugenio will be unable to work if these treatments don't go through. Please chip in to help these two young, kind people!

Details:

Mini's first surgery was to stabilise the leg with iron splints. The second was to exchange the external splints for internal ones. She will have an additional one to remove the rest of splints, and we hope the mended tendons will hold, or she will need to be taken to Lima. She is bedridden and worries sick about not being able to work now and in the future. Mini spent Christmas and New Year in hospital. Only her partner can work. Between the family, friends and neighbours, they have managed to raise money for the first and second surgery, but are running out of options for the next one. We have run a fundraiser in PLN, and have been able to help with the second surgery. But this is not enough.

Eugenio has third-degree burns, including on his face, and a broken leg. Worst of all, multiple shards of stone got stuck into his eyes and he gradually lost his sight completely. Now he needs surgeries as well, or he will never see again! The doctors say that he could regain his sight with a series of surgeries, but the mine refused to pay for the treatment.

The family has been overloaded with Mini's treatment already, so Eugenio's situation is dramatic. Each of the surgeries is 7-10K Peruvian soles (about 1,8-2K EUR), and they are talking about 3 of them.

Minerva and Eugenio grew up in a small village in the Peruvian Amazon, where they worked hard from their youngest age to help their parents. Once they grew up, both migrated to the city, in another part of Peru. Mini is now a mother of 2 and was working in the avocado harvest. Eugenio had been working in the mines. The rest of the family stayed behind in the village.

We are very close to the whole family, Mini is our goddaughter. We have lived in their village for almost 2 years and have known both of them for over a decade since. We know how hard they have worked since childhood, how kind they are, and how life in Peru has not been spoiling them. Each of us has been trying to help however we can, but these costs like these are beyond our possibilities.

Every penny you can spare will be helpful.

Thank you!

Marta and Kinga