Free education for 60 deprived children in Peru

Introduction

At Picaflor House, we started 2025 with a spring in our step. We have welcomed new students and enhanced our weekly programme.

For over 15 years, our focus has been on education, not just academics, but a holistic approach to learning. This means we offer a variety of activities that help develop essential skills such as problem solving, critical thinking, and emotional intelligence. At the same time, we ensure that children have the freedom to play, be creative, and invent their own games in the playground.
We are delighted to share our latest updates, including new workshops, interns, and the launch of this year’s bio garden.

Education is more than maths!

Aswell as Maths and Communication lessons, we offer much more to the children. Our Child Safety Module is taught every six months as a refresher for students and new students. Safety is a crucial aspect to Picaflor; it’s not simply about teaching safety but also the security we provide to the children of Oropesa after school. Many of the children would play in the streets unsupervised without the option of Picaflor; it is important they have the tools to stay safe in and out of the classroom.
Notably in these few months, we have been focusing on reading skills and building the students love for stories. Recently, Mara resident teacher of the Mobile Library, came to lead a literacy workshop at Picaflor. She set up a theatre to tell the story and the children had to answer questions at different points to help complete it. The students of all ages loved it; they were entranced by her storytelling and engaged with her activities. We are excited for the next class from Mara!

New Year, New Activities

At Picaflor House, we are always looking for new ways to enrich our curriculum. At the end of last year, teacher Miluska started a crochet workshop, specifically to make scarfs. The children loved learning this new skill so much that she now leads a session every Friday with the inclusion of sewing too. It is such a joy to see the children dedicated themselves to a new hobby and collaborate with each other on their designs.

For those who prefer playing outside, Noah our newly appointed fundraising intern leads a weekly football match on Friday. The children are so excited each week to welcome him into the school and challenge him on the pitch. Although he is still learning Spanish, they can easily communicate on the pitch and talk about their favourite players.
Andre at nine years old, joined Picaflor House last year and loves coming every afternoon. He has made a lot of new friends here and likes to challenge them to a game of Mata Chola – typical Peruvian game of hitting a sock on a tall stick until it is spun all the way round.

Green fingers at the ready

We are preparing our greenhouse for another year of fresh produce. This week, each student planted their own seeds, ranging from lettuce and leek to watermelon and carrot. Unsurprisingly, most of them chose watermelon, a very popular fruit here. They will care for their plants until they sprout, after which we will transfer them to the main patch.
The children truly enjoy getting involved in tending to our vegetable patch, and it’s the perfect outdoor activity for a sunny day. We are equally delighted to use this produce to prepare a healthy, nutritious lunch for our students every day. For many, this is their only meal of the day, making it even more important to provide them with wholesome food from our greenhouse. We are excited to reap the rewards of this year’s harvest!

Thank you for your support!

We would like to express our heartfelt gratitude to each and every one of our generous donors. Without your support, Picaflor House would not be the same. Your donations help us maintain and improve our programme, ensuring the best possible experience for the children and teachers.

This year, we are excited to expand the Mobile Library Literacy Programme to reach more rural villages around Cusco. With your support, we will be able to purchase more books and employ additional teachers to grow the programme.

Thank you for believing in our mission at Picaflor House: your support is invaluable, together we are changing the lives of children and their communities.