Peru’s president Ollanta Humala has pledged to cut poverty to 15 per cent by the end of his term in July 2016. He is still a long way from his goal, but the poverty rate is coming down.
Updated: June 17, 2014, 12:00 AM
In pictures: Peruvians feel the effect of years of economic growth
Honorata Huaman poses with cakes and soy juice which she sells in Gosen City. Huaman makes a living selling cakes, and uses most of her profits to help poor children in the neighbourhood. Mariana Bazo / Reuters
Franz Moreno poses for a photograph as he carries lumber to build a third storey on his mother’s house in Gosen City. Moreno works in construction and renovation. He lived for a while in Chile, but returned to Peru as the economy improved. Mariana Bazo / Reuters
Carpenter Antonio Abad poses in his workshop in Gosen City. Abad arrived in Gosen City in 1995 when it was just a settlement, and helped his neighbours build their homes. He now has a factory that manufactures windows, doors and furniture. Mariana Bazo / Reuters
Teodora Martinez poses in her grocery shop in Gosen City. Martinez was one of the original founders of the market after emigrating from the highland city of Huancayo. Mariana Bazo / Reuters
Margarita Perez poses in her fish stand in Gosen City. Perez is a single mother who supports her two children by selling fresh fish. Mariana Bazo / Reuters
Irma Huaman poses for a photo in her grocery store in Gosen City. Huaman arrived in Gosen City 12 years ago when it was just a settlement. She initially worked as a street vendor, until she acquired a loan to build her own store. Mariana Bazo / Reuters
Lucia Liaza, 50, at her market stall where she sells food and spices in Gosen City. Liaza came from the violence-torn city of Ayacucho 20 years ago. She says that just recently has she been able to afford a few luxuries that she couldn’t previously. Mariana Bazo / Reuters
Maria del Pilar Condorcule in her organic garden in Gosen City. Condorcule reclaimed the land for her garden from a garbage dump and is now planting vegetables with her neighbours. Mariana Bazo / Reuters
Fabiola Tuesta, 54, in her beauty salon in Gosen City. Tuesta said that not long ago nobody in Gosen had money to spend on luxuries like hair styling. Now she charges the equivalent of $1.79 for a cut and is the only hairdresser in the neighbourhood. Mariana Bazo / Reuters
Dorila Gallardo in front of her new home in Gosen City. Gallardo recently managed to build her home after more than 20 years of washing laundry during the day and selling sweets and cigarettes at night. Mariana Bazo / Reuters
Victoria Ochante, 67, in front of her new home in Gosen City. Until two years ago Ochante was a garbage picker, combing Lima’s trash for items to sell to recyclers. Now with her savings and her daughter’s help she retired and spends her time taking care of her grandchildren. Mariana Bazo / Reuters
Graciela Guzman (right) and her daughter Maria in front of their home in Gosen City. Guzman was one of the founders of Gosen City more than 12 years ago, and managed to build her own home in 2009. Her daughter Maria studies graphic design in Lima. Mariana Bazo / Reuters
Roberto Taboada at his new house (left), next to the old one (right), in Gosen City. Taboada has lived for years in Gosen but recently saved enough from working odd jobs as a handyman to build a solid home. Mariana Bazo / Reuters
Sandra Neyra poses for a photo outside her house in Gosen City. Neyra and her husband, who works in construction, recently managed to save enough to paint their own home. Mariana Bazo / Reuters