San Juan de Lurigancho · Lima, Peru
A grassroots humanitarian initiative building lasting solutions alongside vulnerable families.
Discover VIDAVIDA is a grassroots humanitarian initiative dedicated to transforming the lives of vulnerable families in San Juan de Lurigancho.
Started by Cayetano Ponce, VIDA brings families and supporters together to respond to needs identified through conversations with the community. We work alongside residents to support health, nutrition, and sustainable development, with the understanding that lasting change takes time and shared effort.
02 · San Juan de Lurigancho
In eastern Lima, San Juan de Lurigancho stretches across a densely built valley and surrounding hillsides. It is home to families, local businesses, and neighborhood networks whose experiences vary widely. Some communities face serious gaps in basic services.
Where in Lima?
In 2021, Peru's Ombudsman's Office documented families in the hillside sector of Los Jardines de Santa Rosa struggling to access water for cooking and carrying heavy containers up long stairways. Its 2023 review also describes major sewer failures in 2019 and 2021 that disrupted water and sanitation services in the district.
Defensoría del Pueblo · September 2021 Defensoría del Pueblo · April 2023A 2023 World Food Programme report describes community kitchens, or ollas comunes, in San Juan de Lurigancho. They offer affordable meals, supported by donated and rescued food. Their work shows both the pressure on household food access and the commitment of residents who organize to support one another.
World Food Programme · January 2023Families participating in VIDA have shared needs relating to food, water, cooking gas, winter clothing, and medical care. These conversations guide our work. We aim to contribute alongside residents and partners, respecting the priorities and knowledge already present in the community.
Based on VIDA's project account. The district background above is independent reporting and does not describe outcomes of VIDA's work.
These dated reports provide background on humanitarian needs; they are not a district-wide emergency assessment for 2026. Conditions differ between neighborhoods.
How it started
Cayetano began VIDA by spending time with families in San Juan de Lurigancho, listening to their concerns and learning about the support they felt would be most useful.
Conversations with parents and children shaped the first steps: collecting clothing, helping with food, and looking for practical ways to support access to water. These were small beginnings, grounded in the knowledge of the people who live there.
The first breakthrough
Cayetano reached out to people he knew for clothing donations and used personal funds to help with early food distributions when donations fell short.
An early donation of 500 soles helped provide a Rotoplas tank for clean-water storage during water cuts. It was a practical response to a need families had shared, made possible by a donor's support.
Clothing collections and supply deliveries continued, alongside conversations about what more dependable support could look like.
A plan beyond borders
While looking for longer-term support, Cayetano visited projects run by Tani. Their work offered an opportunity to learn from an experienced organization and explore a partnership focused on local children.
Tani developed a plan and a budget. Cayetano then reached out to donors and contacts to help bring the proposed work to life.
Each conversation and introduction helped connect the project with people willing to contribute. The plan became a shared effort, supported by many acts of generosity.
04 · What we achieved
We set out to raise $5,000.
raised through the generosity of supporters.
Supporters helped VIDA raise $50,000 against an initial $5,000 goal. Their contributions allowed the project to expand its plans to include medical care and other essential resources for participating families.
This support matters, and there is still work to do. VIDA's role is to listen, connect resources with needs, and continue working alongside families and partners as priorities develop.
This is VIDA. Listening to families, learning together, and taking the next step with care.
Founder
Cayetano started VIDA with a willingness to listen and contribute where he could. Time spent with families helped him understand their concerns and shaped the initiative's first steps. His role is to bring people and resources together, recognizing that residents know their own needs best and that every contribution depends on the trust and generosity of others.
06 · Join the cause
Whether you want to contribute resources, create a partnership, volunteer, or learn more, your first step is a conversation.
Contact VIDA cayetano.ponce.pe@gmail.com.png){kind=link}
