Medical team from the University of Cayetano, Lima Peru and Bus Number 7-Net Forward Energy Awards

Medical team from the University of Cayetano, Lima Peru

New to PCIA, and having little-to-no idea of what they were truly committing to beforehand, the doctors from the University of Cayetano launched full speed into PCIA Forum coordination mode, helping with any and every task they were given, with more energy and enthusiasm than PCIA planners could have ever asked for. They were onsite every day to help with registration, translation, medical assessments of participants traveling to the high Andes, and every other task under the hot Lima sun. PCIA is extremely grateful for their positive attitude, incredible work ethic, and enthusiastic promotion of PCIA efforts. For these reasons, PCIA is glad to give the Net Forward Energy Award to Dr. Accinelli and the rest of the medical team from University of Cayetano.

Bus Number 7

All of the Forum participants who went on the field trip to the high Andes had one adventure or another. After traveling 2 hours up the wrong mountain, and being rescued by the Peruvian national police when their bus wouldn’t start somewhere well beyond 3,000 meters Bus Number 7 finally arrived in Lanchi to visit the SEMBRANDO project sites with smiles on their faces and a story to tell. On the way back, Bus Number 6 (which had been following closely behind them) suddenly disappeared, and Bus 7 stopped to wait for them to catch up. When that didn’t happen everyone piled off the bus and sent the driver back up the mountain. An hour later they were still standing on the side of an unknown mountain road, with nightfall looming, no word from their Bus 6 colleagues, and not even a glimmer of a bus in the distance, but they never lost hope or their sense of humor.

If you have to get lost in the mountains of a foreign country, let it be with PCIA Partners. Once they finally joined up with Bus 6 (who had harrowing adventures of their own) to fit 30+ people in a 20-seater bus, everyone was sharing food, photos and stories in good spirits. For their unending positive attitude during uncertain times, PCIA is glad to give the Net Forward Energy Award to Bus Number 7.