Latinos In Social Media (LATISM) Launches Its Second Sustainable Development Project in Peru

July 11, 2012 - PRLog -- WASHINGTON, DC – Surrounded by the peaks of the Andes near the Inca Trail that leads to Machu Picchu you will find Patacancha. Deeply rooted in tradition and history, Patacancha is home to weavers and artisans, 160 families, and a rural school serving over 275 students from surrounding communities. LATISM has chosen to bring its Sustainable Project to Patacancha breaking the barriers of time, language, and distance to showcase their rich culture to our world.

Latinos in Social Media (LATISM), the first and largest organization of Latinos engaged in Social Media, today announced the launch of the sustainable development project in the Cusco Province of Peru. Patacancha is located in the Sacred Valley of the Inca.

The project will run for two weeks from August 10th to August 20, 2012, in a rural area surrounded by peaks, historical trails and structures, boasting a rich Inca heritage. LATISM seeks to enhance opportunities in the area by helping the economy of local artisans and weavers to sell their products online, promote their alternative tourism offering and homestays. LATISM will bring the required infrastructure for free, satellite connection, online communications, and ecommerce. This will be coupled with training to the youth, and basic computer training to leaders of surrounding communities.

An essential element to the project is the participation of volunteers and members from the LATISM online community. Several community members are contributing monetary donations via Eventbrite, while others will be donating their professional skills via online and on-location workshops to help achieve the project’s key goals:

-       The set up of a Cyber-lab, which will provide the village’s residents with much-needed computers, equipment and Internet access for the first time

-       The delivery of physical exams, vaccinations, and health information through a mobile clinic.

-       The implementation of an after-school camp that will provide free educational, fun activities to the children in the area, AND

-       The implementation of a capacity-building program for other leaders from surrounding communities. Patacancha is one of 17 communities from the Red Rural de Comunidades (Rural Communities Network) that currently offer alternative tourism.

Ana Roca-Castro, Founder and Chair of LATISM, said, “We are proud to bring this, our second annual sustainable development project, to Patacancha, Perú, a community that so desperately needs it. This project will bring the power of technology and the tools which will allow students access to e-learning and scholarship opportunities and help local artisans promote and sell their products outside Peru. We are proud to work on a global level in developing concrete and sustainable projects that truly transform lives.”

The LATISM Sustainable Development in Patacancha is the second of a series of such sustainable projects that the organization is planning to implement in areas of need around the world. The initiative is consistent with LATISM’s mission to educate and provide learning opportunities for its members and the community at large.

For more information about the LATISM Sustainable Development Project, please visit http://blog.latism.org/cyber-sustainable-development-proj...

Donations to the project are still being accepted at http://www.eventbrite.com/event/3902311920/eivtefrnd

For information about the Latinos in Social Media organization as well as other LATISM initiatives, please visit LATISM’s web site at http://blog.latism.org

MEDIA CONTACT: 
Elianne Ramos
, Vice-Chair, Marketing and PR
 | Latinos in Social Media (LATISM) 
| 646-932-7752
 | elianne@latism.org

ABOUT LATISM
Latinos in Social Media (LATISM) is a 501(c) 4 nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to advancing the social, civic and economic status of the Latino community through technology innovation and social media. LATISM also helps to raise awareness among corporate brands, NGOs and government entities about using social media to reach Latinos. Our partnership initatives include research, event sponsorships, and leadership training. A pioneering social media organization with over 140,000 members in its network, LATISM has been hailed as the most influential online movement in the new multicultural Web. To learn more about the Latinos in Social Media (LATISM) organization, visit http://latism.org