Peruvian citizen Andrea Gutierrez —who will turn 123 years old this May— is one of the oldest living women in the Inca country and the world.
Gutierrez was born on May 25, 1896, in Oyolo district belonging to Paucar del Sara Sara province (Ayacucho region).
Mother of 12 children —four of them are still alive— this lady taught her offspring to love work and nature, a heritage she feels proud of since it marks the people's character and enables them to overcome the hardships of life.
Forced migration
When she became a widow —and due to the difficult situation Ayacucho citizens were facing because of terrorism spreading over the last decades of the past century— Gutierrez was forced to abandon her native land and move south to Arequipa region with her son Pedro.
She currently lives with him and her daughter-in-law Francisca in Arequipa province's Tiabaya district.
Since Gutierrez is a
Quechua-speaker, she talks mostly with her son and daughter-in-law, as her other relatives do not speak the language. However, she does know some Spanish.
Even though she is 122 years old, her health is in good condition.
According to her family, the secret of her longevity lies in a healthy diet composed of native products from Ayacucho region, such as corn, wheat, quinoa, and alpaca meat.
Furthermore, Gutierrez is affiliated to the Ministry of Development and Social Inclusion's (Midis)
Pension 65 social program, which is a means-tested social pension for Peruvians over 65 years old and identified as being in extreme poverty.
(END) NDP/LZD/MAO/DTK/MVB