This project will provide 30 children living in extreme poverty in the rural area of Valle del Mantaro, Peru, with informal education, social support, and protection. We help them develop a community project to increase their self-esteem during their teenage years so they may develop leadership skills for the future.
Children of extremely poor, working families often need a safe, protective environment to be nurtured while their parents work. In our target area, 42% of the population lives below the poverty line and another 30% lives in extreme poverty. This deficiency in education results in economic, health, and social problems. Due to the lack of attention and funding they receive, rural Peruvian communities refer to themselves as "los pueblos olvidados," or "the forgotten villages."
We and our partner, Expand Peru, a Peruvian nonprofit, provide children in rural communities with assistance in schoolwork, basic hygiene lessons, educational workshops, and arts and recreational workshops. We also provide leadership training through community projects and after-school classes. Parents are offered training for work, nutrition and diet education, and sexual education.
We will support 30 children so their parents can work and provide a living for their families. Developing the children's self-esteem will allow them to grow as leaders in their community and take responsibility for improving the overall lives of their families.
