DB Peru Ong History

In February 2003, Diana Bowie founded the 501c3 non-profit charitable organization in the United States, DB PERU, Inc.

She also founded an organization in Peru with a similar not-for-profit status called ONG DB PERÚ (organismo no gubernamental) in May 2003. Both organizations have the same mission.

Diana is a Registered Nurse and has an MBA. She lives in Lima, Peru.

Diana first came to Peru in January 2001 as a tourist and returned again in May of that year. She was touched by the people in the jungle and after 2 visits, she knew that she wanted to help with their health care needs in some way.

Over the next year, she worked in several clinics, both public and private. The last clinic was in the small village of Mazán in the Centro de Salud (Center of Health). Mazán is about one hour down the Amazon River from Iquitos. The city of Iquitos is in the northeast of Peru, near Colombia and Brasil, in the Amazon rainforest.

One of the guides from a local jungle lodge, Raul Petit, told her that the villages on the Napo River were very needy for health care.

In September 2002, Raul and Diana visited 6 villages on the lower Napo River. They held forums in each village to discuss the needs and problems of the people. From the data collected, the goals and actions for improving health care access and conditions became the basis for the mission for DB PERU.

Then in December 2002, Diana and Renzo Peña from Lima made their first trip down the Napo River to deliver medicines and supplies. The medicines were obtained from Heart to Heart International, a global humanitarian organization, through their Small International Projects program www.hearttoheart.org

They have made more than 45 trips since that time, with volunteers, including friends, students, nurses, nurse midwives and doctors. Each visit has a different focus, but they routinely provide educational seminars for the local health workers (promotores) and midwives (parteras). With the help of local and foreign professionals, people receive treatment for illnesses during their visits.

They deliver medicines and supplies to the villages, in addition to taking appropriate items to the hospitals in Iquitos and the clinics in the jungle towns. Installation of radio and solar panels has improved communications in the jungle. In 2011 a Women's project was intiated to include breast exams and pap smears, as well as assuring availability of birth control. They also act as a ferry for people from the villages seeking health care in the clinics and hospitals.