FUERTE - LIMA, PERU

My name is Fuerte, which in Spanish means strong. I am 15 years old and work side by side with my father and brother Jose. I have to be strong in order to survive. I live in the Andes Mountains in Lima, Peru, at the base of a mountain in the central area of the region. I farm our main crops, potatos and oats, because they can withstand cold temperatures from the altitude and rough land. I farm my land by hand, without any fancy motorized equipment. I use my pony and plow, given to me by my father. We produce and make everything that we have, so I do not know the value of money. The sheep we raise are used for food and the wool is used for clothing and blankets. In my spare time, I am studying to be a metallurgist, specializing in new ways to mine the minerals we have, such as gold, silver, copper, platinum, mercury, lead, iron ore, petroleum, and sulfur. I do not travel much, only when absolutely necessary. Although I know my family and I are not modernized, we know how to live comfortably off the land and its resources. We work hard and are strong-willed people. I am not out to become rich and powerful. I am only here to survive by the land and live peacefully among our people.

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Curator: Tom.Benson@grc.nasa.gov
Responsible Official: Kathy.Zona@grc.nasa.gov