Koari Area Program

Up in the Sub-Andean mountains, in an area called the Upper Valley, World Vision is working with children and families in the Koari community. The area is dotted with lagoons and impressive natural dams. It is cold, and the temperatures grow lower with increased elevation in the mountains. Families live in traditional houses made of adobe walls, thatch roofs, and mud floors.

When we partnered with Koari, financial difficulties were common, with only 1% of families managing to meet their basic needs. Work was mainly in agriculture, with 93% of families producing potatoes. Not surprisingly, the local diet in Koari is based on potatoes, along with peas, beans, and grains like oats, barley and wheat in smaller quantities. This mostly-carbohydrate diet left 79% of children under the age of five chronically malnourished.

Families in Koari are mostly indigenous Quechua, descendants of the Inca Empire. Half did not have access to safe water and very few had latrines. Diarrheal diseases and respiratory infections were common in the community.