Selun AG, Swiss Bindings visits a charity for orphans in Peru:

an impressive and interesting visit to the aid organization Fraternitas del Peru

Almost exactly a year ago, we met Mario Holenstein on a mountain trip in the Cordillera Blanca in Huaraz.

The Peruvian-born emigrated from Switzerland and has worked in the hotel industry for many years and runs his own beautiful Swiss-style resort at the starting point for Peru's highest mountains.

While sharing stories around the fireplace that evening, we learned from Mario that he also serves as president of the aid organization Fraternitas del Peru.

The small private organization operates a farm with approximately 15 hectares of land in Casma near the coast, six hours by car from Lima and three hours by car from Huaraz.

The farm primarily produces mangoes for export to Switzerland. Honey, berries, and corn are also on the cultivation plan.

Mario reports on the children who are taken in at Casma and how they grow from babies to adults in the family environment.

We are both fascinated and moved by Mario’s stories.

Mario continues to talk about the outdated machinery and obsolete care methods that consume urgently needed money instead of providing benefits for the children.

Several hectares of land lie fallow because no suitable machinery is available.

Of course, Mario's stories touched my heart and awakened my interest in small-scale farming in Casma.

After all, I grew up on a small farm myself and can well imagine what is lacking in Casma.

Christina and I decided to visit Casma the following year during our next trip to South America and to help in any way we could.

We made the visit to the orphanage project our top priority in our itinerary. We had already started planning to purchase a new tractor and were excited about the tasks the new vehicle would be capable of.

When we arrived at the farm, the first thing we saw was a Deutz tractor that was at least 60 years old.

At first glance, it looks like junk. Naturally, I inspect the old machine. The engine starts immediately, the cart moves, the PTO works, and the three-point hydraulics go up and down.

What more could you want? The tractor will be sufficient for mango farming for many years to come. The machine is easy to understand and operate, with no frills or electronics that give up the ghost after just a few years.

We are thrilled with the solar-powered pumping station, which supplies all of the farm's fields with valuable, clean groundwater: a sound, modern investment.

Now we take a closer look at the spraying machine for fruit growing.

We're surprised at how theft protection is implemented here. The tractor powers the house's battery, as does the sprayer pump, hose reels, and spray guns. Everything is locked inside the house, except for the barrel on wheels, which is attached to the tractor, protected by the solar panels used as a roof.

We only consider it briefly. The sprayer needs to be replaced. We need a device that can be attached to the tractor and operated by the driver alone.

A barrel on wheels doesn't make sense because the tight conditions require maneuverability and a lot of reversing between the rows of trees.

We're addressing the issue and trying to procure the equipment, which is anything but easy. In Peru, you can't just walk into the nearest agricultural machinery dealer and order whatever your heart desires.

We're activating the Selun purchasing service at home and trying to import the device from the global market in Peru or find the Peruvian importer through a manufacturer and get the device that way. The hard-working people in Casma will have to tend the mango trees once again with hoses and spray guns until the new Selun device hopefully arrives in Casma.