Apahua is a Quechua community located in a dramatically beautiful location, but it is a harsh environment, isolated, and remote. It is located in a rare ecosystem called the paramo. Here low temperatures and high humidity create a bone-deep chill. It is located at an elevation of 14,000 feet so the temperature ranges from the 30s during the night to the 60s on a sunny day, but mostly daytime temperatures range mainly in the 40s and 50s.  In these altitudes, one breathes in about 40 percent less oxygen than at sea level.

 

The Economy

The economy is agrarian, and cash crops are potatoes, barley, oats, onions, garlic, and fava beans. Crops are sold at a very low price. For instance, 100 lbs. of potatoes sell for $16.00. The climate supports 2 - 3 crops per year. Sheep are raised for meat and wool and alpaca are raised as pack animals and for fiber materials.  

Resources
There is little infrastructure in Apahua, most homes do not have running water. No one has heat; firewood is scarce and so people often burn a type of prairie grass for cooking when they do not have propane gas. Most homes are made of cinder blocks, many with dirt floors.​ Older adults in Apahua never finished grade school, struggle to feed their families, and have had little or no access to proper healthcare.  

​

Community Needs Survey

During the 2020 pandemic, READ librarians in Apahua conducted a needs survey with the families in the community, in addition to families living in extreme poverty,  they found multiple families with serious health problems that were not getting care or services due to language barriers and intimidation.​ To meet these issues, READ began a case management program, using our staff to accompany people to doctors appts, and government offices.