Protect 300 girls from Child domestic work in Peru

Dear Supporters,

This time we want to talk about a particular aspect of our work at La Casa de Panchita: promoting empowerment of girls and adolescents who perform child domestic work (CDW).

These girls in CDW, not only often enter school at a late age, but they also fall behind up to three years, as keep failing due to the limited time they are able to dedicate to their studies. And his situation also leads to other problems.

One of these problems is low self-esteem. CDWs do not value themselves due to the fact that domestic work is an underrated job in Peru. There is a general belief that it is an occupation for indigenous people, still victims of racism, or lower socio-economic classes. These adolescents experience abuse and disparagement:

• “Employers often tell us: You are useless, worthless! If they think we did not do what they told us, the way they told us” (Patricia, 13, child domestic worker).

• “My employer often tells me that I never learn what she teaches me. She gets very angry and shouts at me” (Maria, 14, child domestic worker).

• “Employers often tell us that we are useless, that we are not able to perform the simplest task” (Diana, 12, child domestic worker).

At La Casa de Panchita, through workshops and individual guidance, CDWs learn about the risks involved in domestic work, as well as about their right to attend punctually and regularly school or enjoy recreational time. They become aware of their rights, do not accept to be mistreated anymore and start looking for better employment options (unfortunately, it is not always possible to withdraw these girls from child labor).

Our organization also implements activities to sensitize employers. We urge them to change their attitude towards domestic workers to end social segregation. It is a hard and round-the-clock task, but we are starting to see positive results!

Thank you for your continued support!

Best Regards,

Blanca Figuroa