Ilkley Gazette PhotoAn Ilkley aid worker is hoping to set Peruvian families up in business after their homes and livelihoods were washed away in devastating floods six months ago.

Leander Hollings, pictured, is appealing for £14,000 to establish a training centre which would enable residents in the Cusco region to rear guinea pigs for the domestic and international markets.

Emergency relief has now subsided after torrents of rain washed away roads, crops and thousands of homes in January. Rivers burst their banks causing landslides to block vital routes of communication and tourists were filmed stranded on the Inca ruins of Macchu Picchu.

Leander, who runs the charity Mysmallhelp, helped set up a volunteer house to provide food, shelter, clothes, dental care, building materials and school supplies.

Now working as a director for the charity Casa Hogar del Sol, she said: “We don’t want to “give” anymore without helping to create businesses and income for the flood victims.

“Our dream is to set up cuylandia, a guinea pig rearing training centre, and accompanying guinea pig businesses for at least 25 families before the end of this year.”

Leander’s appeals for flood victims in January were boosted by a £10,000 donation from Fair Trade coffee company Peros. Casa Hogar del Sol is also supported by Ilkley’s Happiness Centre and the town’s pop up charity shop Ayni, which sells Peruvian goods.

Leander added: “We are still urgently looking for funds to keep the project going on an ongoing basis. We are also looking for volunteers to come and work with us for a minimum of one month, ideally with basic Spanish.”

Details of how to make a donation can be found at mysmallhelp.org.