About Los Martincitos

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Los Martincitos is a non-denominational enrichment program for poor senior citizens in Villa El Salvador, a shantytown outside Lima, Peru. The 145 members of the program, most of whom are at least 65 years old, have been relegated to living their advanced years in destitution. The program provides nutritious meals to the seniors three times a week, along with basic medical care, classes, activities and a sense of community.

Established in 1987, Los Martincitos is part of a wider seniors program organized through the Peruvian government known as "La Programa Especial de la Tercera Edad" ("The Special Program for the Third Age"). Groups similar to Los Martincitos exist across the country, each attempting to give Peru's oldest citizens some dignity in their final years. These groups may typically have a director, a treasurer, a social worker and one or two medical personnel. Nearly all these positions come from volunteer staff. (Small salaries are donated to the medical staff from a group of beneficent nurses in Spain.) The Peruvian government’s monthly contribution is a tiny portion of rice, beans and cooking oil that does not satisfy the needs of the program.

Los Martincitos is extremely popular and has exceeded its capacity. When it was first established, the program accepted anyone from Villa El Salvador who was at least 65 years old and poor. Due to its popularity, however, Los Martincitos has been forced to develop tighter requirements for entry; applicants must be in a desperate situation, either with no family or with abusive and neglectful caregivers. Even with such requirements, the program maintains a lengthy waiting list.

The enthusiasm at Los Martincitos is infectious. On any given day of activities, participants often show up early so they can merely bask in the spirit of the program. Many of the women arrive at the program at 7:30 a.m. to help with food preparation, while several men often come early to do gardening, sweeping and other setup activities. During the program, even when volunteers are available, the seniors help with disbursing and gathering plates of food, washing dishes and aiding those others who can’t aid themselves.

There are many activities for the participants of Los Martincitos, tailored for their health level, their mental and physical dexterity and their skill sets. Most of the mornings have an exercise class; during the class, seniors help those who are less able to work on their fitness. One day a week, a volunteer Tai Chi Master provides instruction. A game or program usually occurs in the morning, sometimes planned and presented by schoolchildren from nearby areas. The literacy class consists of 20 students learning how to read and write Spanish; the small crafts display provides items for sale to the community; the garden raises a small amount of food for the martincitos to eat (and sometimes to sell). If a program member is unable to travel to Los Martincitos for some reason, the program and its benefits will come to them: staff members often volunteer to visit the housebound participants. Other members who are unable to find transportation to Los Martincitos often are brought there by mototaxis, thanks to donations from nurses.

Los Martincitos seniors are often called “martincitos” themselves. “Los Martincitos” is translated as "Little Martins" in English, referring to St. Martin de Porres, an 18th-century saint who is revered for his work with the poor. St. Martin was one of the first Peruvians to attain sainthood.

 

Staff

Antonio Palomino Quispe:

Antonio (“Tonny”) is one of the founders of Los Martincitos and currently serves as the institution’s director. He has been working at Los Martincitos for 16 years now. Prior to this position, Tonny worked as the Assistant to the Father at San Martin Church for eight years. Tonny is a very “hands-on” director; he can be seen helping out in the kitchen with prep work, organizing meetings with various groups and helping address matters of senior abuse and other injustices. Tony is from the town of Chichas, which is situated in the Sierras, near Arequipa. He has lived in Villa El Salvador for over 30 years and remembers how difficult it was to survive there. He loves his job at Los Martincitos and he loves seeing the seniors’ smiling faces every week. Tonny’s salary is paid by Cross-Cultural Solutions, a charitable organization in the United States.

Sr. Jacqueline Glessner:

Sister Jacci is a School Sister of Notre Dame. She worked in Peru in the 1980s and then returned in 2000 to work at Los Martincitos. In addition to her efforts at Los Martincitos, Sister Jacci is involved in several other ministries, including catechesis and youth ministry. She finds her work at Martincitos very rewarding and she loves working with the seniors. She often says that Martincitos is a very special place for her, stating that working with the seniors has made her more loving, more desirous of living a simple life and more grateful for what she has. Like all her fellow sisters, Jacci’s subsistence comes totally from donations.

A large support staff, including a doctor, a nurse and a social worker, works at Los Martincitos. Most staff members work on a volunteer basis only.

 

Funding

Funding is a constant problem at Los Martincitos. The Catholic Church donated the structure that houses the kitchen, infirmary, meeting hall and offices, but it doesn’t provide any operating funds such as electricity or telephone service. The Peruvian government provides some support, including food donations and a literacy teacher. The program is in constant need of private support. Despite the staff's best efforts to garner enough funds to keep the program afloat, many potential donors refuse to help simply because assistance to the elderly doesn't provide enough return on their investment. When fundraising efforts don't meet the financial needs of the program (approximately $1,700 per month), some services must be cancelled. Often, it seems, the entire program faces the prospect of elimination because even basic services cannot be provided.

 

 

Visiting Los Martincitos

Visitors and volunteers are always welcome at Los Martincitos! Feel free to contact Adopt a Grandparent Executive Director Pamela Jay-Paralikis for more information.

You can also volunteer at Los Marcincitos by participating in the formal program organized by Cross-Cultural Solutions, a nonprofit organization that arranges short-term volunteer opportunities in several areas around the world. Visit the Cross-Cultural Solutions website for further details.