Mother's Clubs Tackle New Towns

In 1971, slum dwellers from Lima occupied a desert strip on the outskirts of the capital. The new suburb, named Villa El Salvador, now has a population of more than 350,000. At a time of acute economic problem in Peru, Villa El Salvador has attracted international attention through self-help projects such as the Mothers' Clubs. The World Food Programme and the UN Development Fund for Women provide these clubs with food and seed money for income generating activities such as jam making. The profits are used to subsidize the club's other activities such as low-cost meals for mothers and children.