Peru looks to reduce poverty through economic progress

Global Business

Peru has been widely hailed as an example of inclusive growth and turning economic progress into poverty reduction.

Over the past five years, economic conditions for 7 million Peruvians have improved to the point where they are no longer considered living in poverty.

This leap is historic, but not everyone is feeling the positive effects. While poverty is down in many cities dropping from 42 percent in 2001 to 16 percent in 2013.

Peru has been widely hailed as an example of inclusive growth and turning economic progress into poverty reduction.

CCTV America’s Dan Collyns reports.

In rural areas, poverty persists and the higher you go in the Andes Mountains, the poorer people are.

The success of Juntos is its conditionality that the mothers of these children only get a monthly stipend if they attend school along with the required health checks.

Newborns get regular monthly examinations. And the health checks continue until a child is five years old in addition to vitamin supplements and vaccinations.

Rosa Huamani is a Juntos manager overseeing more than a thousand families. She said Juntos has helped to break the cycle of poverty.

Combined with increased access to water, sanitation and electricity, programs like Juntos have cut in half infant malnutrition and chronic stunting in less than a decade.


Dr. Neil Pyper on economy of Peru

For more on the economy of Peru, CCTV America’s Rachelle Akuffo spoke to Dr. Neil Pyper, associate head of the School of Strategy and Leadership of Coventry University.