May 2023 Prayer Guide: our work in Peru with impoverished, abused and vulnerable children

Kids Alive has been serving children in Peru since 1992. Today, the ministry works in three communities: Lima, Pucallpa, and Andahuaylas, serving nearly 400 children, their families, and surrounding communities through our programmes.

Our work in Peru centres around seven projects in some of the most difficult areas for children. Our care centres provide after school support, food and care for some of the most vulnerable children. More recently we have started to specialise in trauma informed care, especially for victims of sexual abuse and rape, including those who are pregnant or have babies.  

Our schools provide an education and food for children born into extreme poverty, breaking the cycle of hopelessness that has been around for generations. And our residential homes rescue and care for a number of orphaned, abandoned and abused children, providing a loving home and unconditional care. In all cases we work closely with the local communities and authorities to reintegrate them back into families.

Peru is home to the great Inca Empire. They situated many of their cities and fortresses on the steep slopes of the Andes Mountains. By 1440, their empire extended 2,500 miles from north to south. Peru declared its independence from Spain in 1821, driving out the remaining Spanish forces three years later. The name Peru is derived from a Quechua word suggesting abundance, referring to the ancient Incan civilization that once dominated the region. Peru is twice the size of Texas, with a predominantly Spanish speaking population of around 32 million. The national motto is pressed on the country’s coins: “Firme y feliz por la union,” meaning “firm and happy for the union.”

The people of Peru are known for their friendliness and hospitality and a rich cultural history, spanning millennia. More than 33 million call this land of beautiful mountains, plains, and lowland jungles home. 

Even so, jobs can be very hard to find and Peru remains one of the world’s poorest countries with widespread poverty, hunger, and children at risk of exploitation. More than half of the population is living in abject poverty and almost 20% are living on less than $1 per day.  The people of Peru struggle with Government and institutional corruption as well as high inflation that contributes to growing poverty.  Nearly a quarter of teenagers do not attend high school.

Children in Peru, particularly those from what are considered lower classes, face the realities of poverty, malnutrition, and violence. One-third of Peruvian kids must work to help support their families, leaving them vulnerable to dangerous jobs, human trafficking, and sexual exploitation. Approximately 11% of Peru’s children will die before they reach the age of five.