National Association of Relatives of Kidnapped, Detained, and Disappeared Persons of Peru (ANFASEP)

In the wake of the political violence experienced in 1980, which brought fear and despair to the city of Ayacucho, the lives of thousands of farmers had little value. Death gripped the city, and family members, mostly women with their young children, roamed the streets in search of their loved ones, trying to find solace in their grief.

As a result, the National Association of Relatives of Kidnapped, Detained, and Disappeared Persons of Peru (ANFASEP) was founded on September 2, 1983, in the city of Ayacucho. Its mission was to seek justice, locate their missing family members, and unite individuals who had been profoundly affected by the violence, all while striving to ensure that human rights were not violated under any circumstances.

Women played a crucial role and had prominent figures, such as Angelica Mendoza de Ascarza, better known as "Mamá Angélica," who became the iconic face of ANFASEP and the protection of human rights. Through the museum "Para que no se Repita" (So It Doesn't Happen Again), ANFASEP presents the harrowing experiences of the victims during the dark era of the armed group Shining Path (SL). The museum contains raw testimonies of the terrible events endured during those years. It is essential to note that not only were these individuals silenced by the violent group, but the state, through the use of force, also sought to control the population, regardless of the human rights violations suffered by the people.