Peruvian Hearts - Girls' Education & Empowerment

      Since the beginning of Peruvian Promise the participating girls have grown and matured in significant ways.  These young women have had many obstacles to overcome because of their upbringings in extreme poverty.  Now, more that two years since Peruvian Promise began, we have been able to see first-hand the remarkable transformations in their self-esteem and character.  Unlike several years ago, each girl now holds herself with dignity and respect and truly believes that she will be able to break her cycle of poverty and create a better life for her family.  All of these determined young scholars in Peruvian Promise continue to work extremely hard in their studies and towards their goals of graduating from university and becoming professionals and eventually return to help their families and communities as leaders and genuine agents of change.  The first class of girls in Peruvian Promise has now completed three semesters of university and will begin their fourth semester next week.

       On August 4, the annual Peruvian Promise initiation ceremony was held in Urubamba, Cusco, where five young women were inducted into the program.   We are excited to welcome these newest participants of Peruvian Promise into the program and know that they have the potential to accomplish great things in their life. Three of these five incredibly inspiring young women (Roxana, Vania, and Elba Luz) still attend secondary school, Yenibel has been enrolled in a university preparation course to prepare for her university entrance exam, which she will take later this month, and Elizabeth will begin her studies at university in September to become a nurse with a specialization in medical technology. 

       During the initiation ceremony, all of the girls and parents expressed their deep and profound gratitude for the opportunity to be part of Peruvian Promise.  One by one, each participant presented herself and her parent who attended the ceremony.  While the group voiced their appreciation and thanks, one mother in particular said that she is thankful to have her daughter in Peruvian Promise because now she knows that her daughter will receive a complete education, become a professional and have a better life than she did.  It was so meaningful to meet the parents of these young women and to hear how deep an impact Peruvian Promise has already had on each girl and her entire family.  It is obvious that these young women are the pride and joy of their parents and have become role models for the rest of their siblings.  We are so proud to support these extraordinary young women and excited to watch them continue to transform their own lives and the lives of their families and communities.

Links:

• Peruvian Hearts website
• Peruvian Promise information