PeruThe Village Empowerment Program was started in 1997 at the request of a handful of undergraduate students at U Mass Lowell to do international service work. The chaplain at the time (Fr. Paul Soper) went with them to villages in Peru, where he had spent some time as a younger priest. The group returned with the request from villagers for lights and communication in their remote medical clinics. The solar engineering program was approached for assistance. At the request of several solar engineering graduate students, Prof. John Duffy went with another group in the summer of 1998 for two weeks to install photovoltaic systems in two clinics to power lights and transceiver radios as well as a radio in the base hospital on the coast. The trips have continued twice a year ever since. A total of 165 students, faculty, and volunteers have ventured to the Andes of Peru, each going an average of twice (or 330 student-trips). Over 100 systems have been designed and installed in 60 villages (including 48 radios) addressing basic needs of medical care, water supply and water purification, food production, communication, housing, heating, and transportation. 
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