Peru soup kitchen survival

Workers at special centres in Peru are asking supermarkets for support.

In the capital, Lima, there are 2,300 of these centres, called soup kitchens, which feed 250,000 families. This number is increasing by the day, because the number of poor people has risen to 30 percent of the population during the pandemic.

People are protesting to stop food being thrown away. The protestors hope to send it on to the soup kitchens.

One soup kitchen worker gives the reasons for locals' problems.

Javier Panauka Merma: "Unfortunately, with these price increases, gas, petrol, electricity, people are really starving. Many neighbours have nothing to eat at the moment, the oil is too expensive. The soup kitchens can't cook anymore."

The main market also wastes 50 tons of produce each day, and only one twentieth is recovered. But market and supermarket officials worry that delivering or picking up food could attract large numbers. This is felt to be unsafe, because of coronavirus.

Now the protestors have requested a meeting with Lima's mayor. They need him to give the supermarkets permission to change their systems.

Ericko Tueroconza: "Food recovery is what is not sold but cannot be thrown away. There are still products that are edible and that can be used in soup kitchens and that is why this recovery is favoured by soup kitchens to appease hunger."

Those people in support of the food kitchens are concerned because without the mayor's help, there won't be sufficient food. Thousands of people, including children, might suffer.

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