SOS Children in Peru

Overview of Peru

Peru is one of the larger countries (five times bigger than UK) in South America with a rich and varied culture and a wealth of natural resources. However the majority of the population of over 27 million, are impoverished indigenous Native Americans, and the social contrasts between rich and poor are enormous. Peru's development has been held back by corruption and the failure to face up to social problems.

Despite recent economic growth, there has been little improvement in the lives of the poorest people. Many live in massive slums, lacking even the most basic needs. More than half the population is unemployed and malnutrition, particularly amongst children, is widespread. The average daily income per person is less than £4 (In the UK the equivalent figure is £46).

Our Work in Peru

Zarate

Esperanza

We opened our second SOS Children's Village at Esperanza in 1978.  It is located in Chosica, about 25 miles from the capital Lima. There are 12 family houses.

Rio Hondo

Chiclayo

Arequipa

Cuzco

Huancayo

Callao

Pachacamac

Ayacucho and Juliaca

Life in SOS Children's Villages Peru:

"You know the tree by its fruits" is a popular saying that expresses well all the goals reached by Nily Gutierrez Gomes, a young woman who has just graduated from a university with a degree in Education. Today she is a source of great pride for her SOS family and for the whole community of SOS Children's Village Cuzco.

The staff still remembers when Nily arrived with her brother Wilder at the SOS Children's Village Cuzco. She was only eight years old and he was seven when their mother had died prematurely. This experience marked Nily, definitively making her stronger but at the same time more sensitive and responsible.

At their arrival, Nily was welcomed in the "Casa Paccha". There she lived and grew up next to her smaller brother and six other non-biological siblings. She remembers an infinite amount of mischief and games, life in school, and the moments she had to make decisions in order to follow a career.

You could notice her desire to triumph and get ahead in life since she was very young. Her unbroken spirit and her strong will allowed her to study for two years in Costa Rica, where she achieved great merits as an outstanding student. 

Today, she celebrates proudly next to her aunt Alicia, her ten siblings and her godmother the great step that she has taken, to graduate with a degree in Education, specializing in Initial and Primary Education at the Andean University of Cuzco. Doubtless, she is a great example for her siblings and all the community of the village.

"Each word, each sentence that my mommy Panchita (lovely nick for Fransisca) said to me I have kept in my heart. It is an unforgettable experience and I will always cherish it in my spirit", Nily remembers. She has many memories of her mom's teachings, the SOS mother who held her in her arms when she arrived at the village. 

Certainly, mom Panchita left a deep mark in Nily and her brother's character. Among other things, it was her who taught Nily many of the values and responsibilities that are practiced in the SOS Children's Villages: responsibility, hospitality, solidarity, affection, good conduct, tenacity. 

At the moment, Nily is an independent young woman. She works in a daycare centre where she teaches a group of three-year-old children. She puts into practice what she learned in the university classrooms but she also transmits the values and pleasant moments she lived with her family in SOS Children's Village Cuzco.

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