Peru

March 12, 2014

I would like to express my deepest gratitude, on behalf of Peruvian Hearts, to the generous contributors of Women4Women-Knitting4Peace. In January of 2014, I had the privilege of traveling to Peru to deliver the generous contribution of hats, shawls, scarves, and Peace Pals to the girls and young ladies we work with in Cusco, Peru. The young women in Peruvian Promise, our girls empowerment program, received these gifts with open arms and loving smiles. It was a very special and meaningful experience and the sincere generosity shared by those who live so far away, truly meant so much to these young women in Peru.

The young women who participate in Peruvian Promise come from families who are extremely poor. As these young women become empowered through education and mentorship, they become more confident in their place in the world. They realize the incredible potential they have and the real possibilities of a brighter future for them and their families. As these girls transform into educated young women, families begin to believe that their daughters are the key to ending the intergenerational poverty in which they have been living.

Peruvian Promise scholars dream of being professionals such as, lawyers, doctors, nurses, chefs, accountants, archeologists, hotel managers, and tourism specialists. We support them in their dreams, we are awed by their courage and tenacity, and we celebrate their successes as they continue to work hard to achieve their dreams. The Peruvian Promise model is a powerful model that works because it combines enhanced educational opportunities with mentorship, leadership, and opportunities for its participants to engage in community service.

The girls of Peruvian Promise do service work at the Mother Teresa home in Cusco (Hogar of the Sisters of Calcutta) and they donated some of the shawls to be used as lap-shawls for the residents in wheel chairs. We would love to have the opportunity to donate more lovely hats, shawls and Peace Pals to the residents of this home in which the most needy and abandoned reside. In addition, we partner with three orphanages in the Cusco area in the Sacred Valley of Peru. The children in all of these homes would greatly appreciate receiving the loving and warm gifts that are filled with love and made from the hearts of your knitters. We appreciate so much all that you have already done for the young women supported by Peruvian Hearts and look forward to strengthening our partnership with Knitting for Peace during 2014!

Danny Dodson

Executive Director