Esperanza Peace Centre Project (2017/2018)
Integrating social development and environmental education to support at-risk children and women in La Esperanza, Trujillo, northern Peru.
Click to download our Esperanza Peace Centre Information Sheet which provides a brief overview of the project.
La Esperanza is one of the most populated districts of Trujillo province in La Libertad, northern Peru. The families that live in the upper reaches of this district are severely affected by extreme poverty, food insecurity, high levels of crime, domestic violence and child abuse, as well as poor environmental health. In these difficult circumstances, children and women are much more likely to become victims of violence. Moreover, children and teenagers suffer significantly from a lack of parental guidance, and have limited expectations of improving their situation, leaving many vulnerable to the influence of organised criminal gangs that operate in the area.
In response to the situation, an idea was borne within the community to create a Peace Centre that would provides a safe space and the opportunity for community members to develop social and environmental values based on Christian principles. As a first step towards this, A Rocha Peru implemented a pilot project in 2015 and 2016. As a result of the success of this pilot, the project was expanded with full delivery over 2017 and 2018.
Watch the story of our pilot project in this video ‘Seeds of Hope’.
The Esperanza Peace Centre Project had the objective of addressing the interlinked socio-economic and environmental problems of the area through a multidisciplinary approach integrating social development and environmental education. Participants engaged in a range of activities that empowered them with social and environmental values, creating a catalyst for change and sustainable development in their community. These include:
Environmental education workshops – To gain practical, hands-on experience through activities such as hydroponic cultivation, rearing guinea pigs, and recycling and reusing materials to produce handicrafts.
Afterschool programme – To improve participants’ literacy and numeracy, and support their academic development.
Leadership and cultural workshops – To nurture participants’ self-esteem, confidence and cultural identity, for instance, through modern and traditional dance.
Community events and parental workshops – To raise awareness of pressing local issues, such as gender violence and child abuse to help protect these vulnerable groups.
Promoting social and environmental values: Beneficiaries learn the importance of caring for the environment and one other.
Over 2017 and 2018, the objectives of the project were as follows:
Social Development – empower 65 beneficiaries (50 children and teenagers and 15 women) with social values based on Christian principles, strengthening the personal development and role of women in the community, and supporting the eradication of inequality.
Environmental Education – empower and train 50 children and teenagers (with at least 30 girls) with environmental values based on the Christian principles, enabling them to become local environmental leaders capable of combatting environmental degradation within the community.
Research – conduct socio-economic studies regarding issues that affect the most vulnerable families in the community, to ensure that our activities have greater impact in the community.
Communications – disseminate information through local, national and international communication, to raise awareness about the issues faced by at-risk families in La Esperanza, promoting greater support and commitment for the community.
Strategic Development – develop and strengthen partnerships with local, national and international organisations with whom we have a shared vision, to enable the project’s long-term sustainability.
The issues in La Esperanza require urgent action that has lasting impact. Contact us for further information.