By Enrique Mandujano
LIMA (Reuters) – Children squealed and laughed as they played on see-saws and swings on Thursday at a new playground in Peru built from guns seized by law enforcement.
More than 5,000 firearms were melted to create see-saws, monkey bars, swings and even exercise machines at the park in Lima, officials said.
“This playground is a dream,” said Danitza Vilca, a coordinator with the neighbourhood council. “It is a dream come true thanks to the guns which were previously used to commit crimes, to murder. Now these guns are used for the good of our children.”
The creation of the park was a collaboration between local residents and the Andean country’s arms control body SUCAMEC. The seized guns were melted down and repurposed by a steel company.
(Reporting by Enrique Mandujano; Editing by Karishma Singh and Jane Wardell)
