Empower Vulnerable Children in Peru and Cambodia

Keeping Children Safe in Peru

Globalteer, through its initiatives, continues to work towards the empowerment and protection of children at the projects and in the communities that surround them. Globalteer has identified children in these areas as being particularly vulnerable and susceptible to various forms of abuse, exploitation, and neglect. Globalteer therefore developed its Child Protection Policy in order to develop a better understanding of how to better protect children. Building on that, Globalteer introduced classes on child safety at its projects, including at the Picaflor House Community Project in Cusco, Peru, where children were taught how to protect themselves in various situations.

Child Protection Classes

During this reporting cycle, Larissa, a volunteer from Brazil, was recruited as an NGO Assistant at the Picaflor House Community Project. One of Larissa’s duties was to teach a child safety class three days a week to the children of Picaflor House. The aim of these classes is to improve the children’s self-awareness and self-esteem, and to make them more conscious of danger. The class also aims to prevent psychological and physical abuse, along with teaching children about safety in various situations such as walking at night. One of the most important parts of these child safety classes is teaching the children the concept of a ‘trusted adult,’ which refers to familial or non-familial adults who they can turn to if abuse is being committed by a person at home. The children are also taught about ‘safe touch’ and ‘unsafe touch,’ which is recognizing when being touched by another person is appropriate and inappropriate.

Impact of Child Protection Classes

During Larissa’s tenure at Picaflor House, the child protection classes have yielded some noticeable and positive results. According to Larissa, when she first started teaching the classes, there were two sisters, twins, who were very shy and timid. However, since then, they have become more confident and vocal in the classes, and their self-esteem has improved due to the classes. Another student recently confided in Larissa that she was in a concerning situation at home. Larissa and the staff at Picaflor House are currently in the process of getting that student help she needs.

The Child Protection Policy, along with the child protection classes, were intended to protect children from various forms of harm. We are optimistic that the continuation of these classes will not only lead to the improved self-esteem of the students at Picaflor House, but that we will also develop their capacity to protect themselves in different scenarios and provide them with information on steps to take when they, or anybody they know, has become the victim of abuse.