Peru Childrens Project
The Quest4Change aims to "improve the lives of children affected by poverty, crime and drug abuse by the provision of sporting and recreational facilities and activities"
This was Quest4Change's first project and we have been working in Villa
Maria, Peru for 14years now. Our projects help the children of this, one of the
world's largest shanty towns, escape and avoid the prevalent drugs culture.
What's the problem? Poverty, crime and drugs. The children of Villa Maria live below the poverty line in shacks often with no running water, sanitation or electricity. Their parents work long hours and they are often left alone to wander the streets, frequently ending up in trouble with the law.
Watch Jon's introduction to Villa Maria and the problems it faces
HowQuest4Change helps: We provide a program of cultural and recreational activities for 100s of children in their summer holidays. Our educational support initiative advocates bond building within communities whilst helping to prevent the children from becoming victims of poverty and drug abuse. We also have a newer construction project, over the last 3 years Quest4Change volunteers have constructed 25 houses for some of the poorest families in the community, this has been made possible by the support from Katie Ashbridge's family, friends and colleagues at Watson Wyatt.
“If I could go back and do the whole thing again I don’t think I would change a single part. It was exhausting but totally worth it”
Victoria Spence, Volunteer Villa Maria 2009
Latest News:
This year we have plans to double the size of the Quest School, giving an extra 100 children the opportunity for an education. This is going to cost just £22,300 and Danilo has got things off to a great start with his weight loss fundraiser. Find out more here.
2009
Watson Wyatt raised a fantastic £3,379 at their recent Salsa night, the raffle was a real highlight and funds raised will go towards supporting some of the poorest families. Over 25 homes have already been built through funds raised in memory of Katie Ashbridge, to the right you can see some of the families who have benefited from this fantastic support.
2009's Gap Volunteers constructed a whopping 5 houses whilst working in Villa Maria, one of which will be supporting a family of 12!
Penny and Kevin Ashbridge ran a fantastic fundraising Salsa night in aid of the Villa Maria project where their daughter, Katie worked in her gap year before tragically passing away in 2007. In Katie's memory this even alone has raised enough money to build 12 more houses - incredible!
Watson Wyatt, where Katie Ashbridge worked have also been huge supporters of the Villa Maria project. They recently raised £3,500 from a cake sale and a further £3,000 at a brilliant Salsa Night - yet more incredible achievements in Katie's memory.
How you can help: The Perfect Present
£30 pays for 100 children from the shanty town of Villa Maria Peru to go swimming.
Why swimming?
- The children of Villa Maria live below the poverty line in one of the largest shanty towns in South America with no running water, sanitation or electricity.
- Their parents work long hours and they are often left alone to wander the streets, frequently ending up in trouble with the law.
- This gives these disadvantaged children the opportunity to have a rare day of swimming fun.
- Your gift lets kids be kids for a day.
You will receive a personalised gift card thanking you for your support and regular e-mails throughout the year letting you know what is being achieved with your help. If it's a gift this can be personalised and sent directly to the recipient.
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Achievement Overview
- Worked and played with several thousand disadvantaged children annually for 13 years
- Constructed a pre-school for 100 kids, which received yearly maintenance and is painted brightly with educational murals
- Renovated 3 kindergartens
- Sponsorship of 20 local sports teams
- Construction of an assault course/play ground for local kids which is maintained and repainted every year.
- Paid for well over 100,000 swimming pool entrances
- Produced over 200 "Domingos Familiares", free stage shows for the community
- Purchased around 30 life size puppets
- Purchased sound equipment for stage shows
- Restoration and fencing of a local playground
- Provided permanent employment for project co-ordinator
- Provided regular employment for 5 local project support staff
- Constructed 18 houses for some of the poorest families in the community
- Sponsored over 50 kids to receive free education at the Quest school, with another 50 receiving subsidised places.
This project supports many of the United Nations Millennium Development Goals. Most importantly this project supports the aim to significantly improve the lives of slum dwellers through simple, low cost interventions; it aims to eradicate Extreme Poverty and Hunger and is working towards Universal Primary Education for all by 2015.
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