Gender Equality Peru Project #8401

Peruvian Hearts - Girls' Education & Empowerment

by Peruvian Hearts

Peruvian Hearts - Girls' Education & Empowerment

Project Report | Aug 9, 2016
Supporters: Meet Peruvian Hearts' Newest Scholar, Andrea!

By Danny Dodson | Executive Director

Peruvian Hearts scholars Lucero (left) and Andrea

We want to thank all of our generous supporters who continue to make it possible for the Peruvian Hearts scholars to fulfill their dreams. The generosity from our loyal donors has allowed us to expand our empowerment program to thirty-eight inspirational girls. Your ongoing support and kindness allows us to fulfill our promise of a brighter future to our motivated young scholars. On behalf of the girls in Peru, thank you for your desire to join us as we educate and enable these girls to become leaders and agents of change for their communities and country.

Meet Peruvian Hearts Newest Scholar -- Andrea, 15

Andrea, who lives in the small town of Izcuchaca, about 35 minutes west of Cusco, joined Peruvian Hearts in May of 2016. Her older sister, Lucero, has been a Peruvian Hearts scholar since 2011, when the empowerment program first began. Andrea is a brilliant student with a delightful wit, and she is mature beyond her years. As the valedictorian of her school class over the last 4 years, Andrea will graduate from high school in December of 2016 again as the top student. As she finishes her last year of high school, she also attends a prep course to prepare the university entrance exam. Her dream is to become an orthodontist, and as Andrea says, “I want to be the best orthodontist in the world.” She says she wants to study this career in order to offer affordable services to those who live in rural communities and have low economic resources. Having grown up in a family living in poverty, it was not easy for Andrea’s family to afford the basic orthodontic services that she needed. This is her inspiration to study orthodontia and try to give back to others by offering discounted services to people who cannot afford the typical cost of dental work.

In early April, Andrea and Lucero lost their mother to a battle with cancer, which deeply saddened the entire family. Andrea and Lucero showed their true strength in the following days and weeks, and in a time of need they were warmly embraced by all of their Peruvian Hearts sisters. At the end of June, Andrea turned 15 years old and in Peru, just like other Latin American countries, it is traditional to have a quinceañera(a customary fifteenth birthday celebration) so, Peruvian Hearts threw Andrea a party to celebrate. Andrea, her family, the PH scholars and staff all enjoyed an evening of dancing and celebration. At one point during the evening Lucero got up to speak in front of everyone and she said that before their mother passed away, she had told them that one of her dreams was to throw a quinceañera for her youngest daughter, Andrea. Lucero said that even though their mother was not there to attend the quinceañera celebration that night, she knew that she was there in spirit as her dream was being fulfilled.

During the past several months the Peruvian Hearts scholars have stayed very busy with their university studies, attending classes and conferences, researching and writing theses, and fulfilling required internship hours in order to graduate. Their perseverance and determination is stronger than ever, and they are getting closer and closer to their goal of finishing university. Currently, Epifania and Rosa are researching and writing their theses, Alexandra and Lucero recently successfully presented their theses, and Flor Nelida is waiting to be presented with her title as a certified chef. These PH scholars will be the first young women from Peruvian Hearts to graduate from university, and we are thrilled by their accomplishments.

Again, we encourage our supporters to take the time to visit our girls and get to know them individually. To meet these girls in person and hear their stories is life-changing. While spending time with the girls, you will learn about the richness and beauty of the Peruvian culture and will of course have time to visit the famous ruins of Machu Picchu. Please contact Danny at danny@peruvianhearts.org if you are interested in traveling to Peru.

Andrea dances with her father at her quinceanera!

Andrea holding 4 of her valedictorian diplomas.

Andrea dreams to study orthodontia in university.

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May 11, 2016
Peruvian Hearts Expands; Scholars Studying in Lima

By Danny Dodson | Executive Director

New PH Scholars: Maria Fernanda, Yeshira & Yudith

We want to extend our thanks, once again, to the loyal and generous contributions of our supporters. Your open-hearted giving continues to make a big difference on the ground for the Peruvian Hearts scholars. Our goal for 2016 is to welcome ten more girls into Peruvian Hearts, and in March we brought four new girls into our empowerment program. These four new Peruvian Hearts scholars are bright and motivated young women, and have expressed how fortunate they feel to now be able to study at the university level and participate in the empowerment classes and mentorship program offered by Peruvian Hearts.

The four young women who just joined Peruvian Hearts are: Yudith, Yeshira, Maria Fernanda, and Erika. Yudith is studying psychology at the National University in Cusco, and is a cousin of Peruvian Hearts scholar, Sharon, who is studying Education at the same university. We are thrilled to have these two cousins together in Peruvian Hearts. Yeshira, Erika, and Maria Fernanda are very busy attending daily classes, studying, and preparing for their university entrance exams in August.

Peruvian Hearts scholar Rosa, who in December was chosen for a prestigious internship in chemical engineering, has successfully completed her internship at the National University of Engineering in Lima. She is now preparing to begin writing her thesis, which is a final stage in her education before graduating and becoming the first of her family to obtain a college degree. Peruvian Hearts scholar Maribel was selected to participate in a very selective student exchange program at Peru’s most highly respected university, La Catolica, in Lima. After her time at La Catolica University, Maribel will return to Cusco where she will continue her studies in accounting at the UNSAAC. While she has been in Lima, Maribel has often talked about how much she is gaining from this experience, and that she is taking full advantage of her time in Lima. She also says that this unique opportunity has expanded her horizons and opened her eyes to new and bigger dreams for the future.

Peruvian Hearts scholar Gloria, who earned a complete scholarship to La Catolica to study mining engineering, continues to devote herself to her studies. She is distinguishing herself as a top student at her university and has loved having the company of Rosa and Maribel, her Peruvian Hearts “sisters.” The girls have shared an apartment, living, working, eating and studying together.

We want to encourage our valued supporters to visit our girls and get to know them individually. To meet these girls in person and hear their stories is life-changing. While spending time with the girls, you will learn about the richness and beauty of the Peruvian culture and will of course make time to visit the ruins of Machu Picchu. Please contact Danny at danny@peruvianhearts.org if you are interested in traveling to Peru and we will make it a unique, intimate, and life-changing experience for you.

PH Scholars: Maribel, Rosa & Gloria

PH Scholars welcome Rosa back to Cusco!

PH Scholar, Gloria, at La Catolica University

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Feb 9, 2016
First Peruvian Hearts Scholars Preparing to Gradatue From University

By Danny Dodson | Executive Director

Rosa (left) and Gloria in their apartment in Lima.

Thanks to the ongoing support of our generous donors, the Peruvian Hearts scholars continue to mature into the next generation of female leaders. We are thrilled this year to watch our first six scholars graduate from university and become the first members of their families to receive a college degree. These Peruvian Hearts graduates will receive their diplomas in the fields of chemical engineering, accounting, and culinary arts. We are extremely proud of these girls and their successes and accomplishments thus far and we’re excited for them to begin the next chapter of lives as young professionals. It is because of the generosity of our supporters that we can continue to make a lasting change in the lives of girls and their families and communities in Peru. I would highly encourage any of our supporters to visit our projects firsthand and get to know the girls you support. Please contact me directly at 303-526-2756, if you're interested.

One of our upcoming Peruvian Hearts graduates this year is, Rosa, who has been studying chemical engineering for the last several years at the National University of San Antonia of Abad in Cusco. Rosa finished her university classes at the end of December and is now currently fulfilling her required internship hours in order to graduate and receive her diploma. Rosa applied to do her internship at the highly competitive National University of Engineering (UNI) in Lima and her application was accepted. She has since moved to Lima and is sharing an apartment with Gloria, another Peruvian Hearts scholar who is currently in her first year of university studying Mining Engineering at Universidad La Catolica on a complete government scholarship. Rosa is scheduled to finish her internship at the end of March and will then receive her diploma. She has already been informally offered a position at the university.

Three of the six upcoming Peruvian Hearts graduates, Epifania, Alexandra, and Lucero, will all graduate with degrees in accounting, while Flor Nelida and Kati will graduate with degrees in culinary arts. Obviously for these girls, finding jobs in their respective fields will be their next big challenge, but now that they are about to accomplish something that no other family members have done before, they are more inspired than ever to continue dreaming big on their path to a brighter future. As these girls take on new jobs and begin their careers, they will remain an integral part of Peruvian Hearts and will help mentor the younger girls we support.

In January, Visionaria Peru, a project sponsored by Rotary International, held its fourth annual weeklong leadership institute in Urubamba, near Cusco. Several of the newest Peruvian Hearts scholars were able to attend this year’s institute, which offered them important opportunities to learn about topics such as leadership, self-esteem, clean energy, and financial responsibility, among others. The girls attended group yoga classes and participated in daily workshops working individually and in groups, brainstorming important topics and presenting their ideas to the larger group. Peruvian Hearts scholar and former Visionaria Peru participant, Maribel, was asked to be a group mentor for this year’s group of participants who are designing a leadership class to teach at high schools around Cusco. After having participated in the institute for the last several years and having worked on designing a leadership class for younger kids, Maribel was honored to be a mentor for some of the participating girls at this year’s institute.

Rosa will finish her internship in Lima in March.

Lucero and Alexandra will graduate as accountants.

Epifania (left) will soon complete her thesis.

Nelly plans to open her own restaurant in Cusco.

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