Peru - community profiles
NUEVO LUGAR
Copyright © José Luís Álvarez
Ramos & Tom Lavers
November 2005
1. Physical description
Nuevo Lugar is located to the West of the City of Lima,
a few kilometres north of the main highway to the Central Highlands.
The lower part of the settlement closest to the main highway
is
550 metres above sea level. The settlement stretches up the mountains
to the South to approximately 900 metres. The climate is warm,
dry
and sunny, 12-14°C in winter and 22-31°C in summer. Soils
are a mixture of clay and sand.
2. Population and settlement
The settlement is part of the district of Atí. It is divided
into 23 areas (each known by a letter of the alphabet), which are
further divided into 239 neighbourhoods (UCV). Nuevo Lugar
is generally divided into three zones: the low area (zones A to
F) is the richest; the intermediate area (zones G to P); and the
high area (zones J to Z) which are the poorest.
Each recognised housing lot is 90 metres square, and there are 60
lots per UCV. The total population of the settlement is 112,410
and there are three religious groups; Catholic, Protestant and a
minority of Israelites.
3. History
The area comprising the settlement has been occupied since pre-Inca
times and has formed an important role as an interchange between
the coastal settlements around Lima and communities in the central
highlands. Indeed some remains of Inca buildings can still be
seen
around the settlement. Soon after the Spanish conquest, Nuevo Lugar
was abandoned by its indigenous inhabitants and became part of
large colonial estates, with many of the previous inhabitants
working on the land. The present day settlement began in 1984
and
was officially founded in 1985.
4. Material resources
The main economic activities are commerce, industry, transport
and livestock farming. 70% of the population leaves Nuevo Lugar
to go to Lima in search of work as domestic servants, work in
factories
or in the informal sector. In 1986, the central government created
an industrial park in Nuevo Lugar for the production
of
shoes, carpentry and mechanical goods.
There is a hospital with 23 doctors, 7 obstetricians and 12 nurses,
as well as several medical posts and chemists. The main health problems
found in Huaycán are respiratory diseases, diarrhoea, dehydration,
nutritional deficiency, circulation problems, cancer and AIDS
5. Natural resources
There are no abundant natural resources, only sand, rocks for cement
and coastal defences, and limestone and clay. There are domestic
animals such as chickens, rabbits, guinea pigs, pigs and cows. Plants
such as aromatic herbs, ornamental plants, fruit such as bananas,
passion fruit and avocados are cultivated, and some forest trees
such as willows and eucalyptus are also present.
6. Human resources
There are three levels of education in Nuevo Lugar; primary,
secondary and higher with both public and private institutions.
90% of the population of school age attend school and 5% of the
total population are illiterate. The higher education institute
offers three courses: car maintenance, computing and electrical
training.
The settlement comprises migrants from all parts of the country
(coast, mountains and jungle), so Spanish, Quechua and Aymara are
all spoken. However, the majority of the population are from the
central sierra; Junín, Huancavelica and Ayacucho. 30% of
the population is aged between 15-24.
7. Infrastructure
There are different types of buses that provide services to the
surrounding areas and taxis that operate within Nuevo Lugar.
The low area has electricity, water, drainage and telephone connections.
The other two zones are mostly electrified, but many neighbourhoods
lack water and drainage.
Water in Huaycán is supplied by the river Rímac and
passes through a treatment plant. However, water is only supplied
directly to the low areas of the settlement, with other areas relying
on water sellers who charge significantly more than the water company.
8. Socio-political resources
All the main political parties are present in the settlement
Government services provide: security, education, hospitals, medical
posts, immunisation, free food, school snacks, free books, water,
street cleaning, night police and free internet.
In addition non-governmental services include: water, electric lighting,
telephone, cable TV, education, health clinics, credit, security
and transport.
9. Cultural resources
To be a member of the self-governing community of Nuevo Lugar,
one must own a plot of land in the area. Of these members some
are active, in that they participate in the social organisations
created for the community, and others are passive and do not
participate.
Many young couples live together, some of these married in civil
ceremonies and a minimal number in church weddings. There are a
large number of young single mothers, in particular in the high
zones.
10. Additional Information
Detailed
community profile in Spanish
Inventory
of collective action
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