While supporting some kids in high school, we noticed this unique girl; Yeny. Although from an extremely poor background, with no support from home, she did great in school. What made her stand out is that she was always happy, able to light up an entire room with her presence and she had no fear of us, of a completely different surrounding.
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She fought her way through high school and a higher education in tourism and obtained her degree and certification as a formal guide for tourism.
Now, she speaks 4 languages, takes care of her disabled mother and 2 younger brothers and never, ever complained. 

      No Lo Callemos !   (we won’t shut up about it)

When Miriam, at the end of 2021, went to school to have her notebooks checked, she was sexually harassed by her mathematics teacher. When she went back to school at the beginning of 2022, she found out this happened to lots of girls.
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Miriam and 5 other girls organised, got a head teacher involved, a lawyer and even the press. Chaska became their base to meet and set up a campaign;
“No Lo Callemos”.
We made bracelets and brochures and Miriam started visiting classrooms at her school to educate the students about their rights.

They fought a relentless battle against the government and their school but in the end they won. 2,5 Years later the teacher is no longer teaching and has a restraining order for the school premises and the people involved in the case. He is at the moment awaiting trial.

When we asked our girls about the importance of Chaska for them, all agreed on 1 thing; Chaska is their safe space. Why? below an article of Amnesty International:

​Sexual and gender-based violence 
In 2023, the Ministry of Women and Vulnerable Populations registered 142,182 cases of violence against women, girls and adolescents, a 7% increase on 2022. 
Of these, 28,991 were cases of sexual violence, of which 50% were against female adolescents aged between 12 and 17 years. 
Over the same period, the ministry registered 11,944 cases of rape – of which 7,757 (66%) were against children and adolescents. 

A national poll revealed that less than 30 percent of women report incidents of gender-based violence, indicating that the real figure is likely 4 x higher.
While gender-rights activists are working to implement more robust prevention measures, harsher sentencing, and meaningful education reform, they are confronting societal and institutional barriers that reflect a conservative stance toward women, violence, and reproductive health.

Understanding the limitations of public education in Peru requires a look at the numbers.
Structure and Hours of Education:

• Primary education lasts for 6 years, followed by 5 years of secondary education.
• The academic year spans 40 weeks, but with 6 weeks of additional holidays, it amounts to 34 weeks of schooling annually.
• Students attend 20 hours of classes per week, totaling approximately 680 hours per year.

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​Comparative Analysis:

• Over 11 years, a Peruvian student receives around 7,480 hours of education.
• In contrast, an American student typically receives about 1,100 hours per year over 12 years, totaling 13,200 hours.
• European students receive about 1,250 hours annually, amounting to 15,000 hours over 12 years.

The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated these challenges by closing schools in Peru for over two years.
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Secondary Education Limitations:

• Unlike Europe and the US, where students can choose between academic and professional tracks in secondary education, Peru offers a single, uniform path for all students.
• This one-size-fits-all approach means that secondary education alone is often insufficient for entering the workforce, as it focuses on memorization rather than practical skills.
• The secondary education system is intended to prepare students for higher education, yet ironically, it fails to align with university entry requirements, as subjects like physics, chemistry, and advanced mathematics are not included in the curriculum but are essential for most university entrance exams.

Higher Education Access:

• Public higher education in Peru suffers from limited capacity. For instance, Cusco has only one public university offering about 2,000 slots per year.
• In 2023, approximately 20,000 students competed for these limited spots, leaving 18,000 students without a clear educational path forward. Many must either prepare to retake the entrance exams the following year or face the prospect of underpaid and unstable employment.

While working with kids in Cusco in 2013, we met this amazing girl; Yeny.
​She came from an extremely poor background and had no support at home but she did great in school. She is always happy and positive and she can light up an entire  room with her presence. 

Yeny not only did great in high school but pursued her big dream; a career in tourism.
She obtained her bachelor in tourism in 3 years and she got her licence as a certified guide a year later.
​Yeny speaks 4 languages.
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​She works as a guide, takes care of her disabled mother and her 2 younger brothers and she willingly helps us whenever we need her.
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Laura Verbert, a psychology intern from Antwerp, did tests and worked with Yeny to lay the foundation for the intake and selection process of Chaska, basing it on personality rather then cognitive intelligence.
Yeny will always be a godmother to Chaska and an example for our girls, proving that a positive attitude and hard work pays off.

Last Saturday we bought a new fridge, a new stove and some needed pots and pans. The old fridge and stove will be sold to the highest bidder and with the money we will get some extra dental care for Yuvisa. Her teeth are so out of line that she urgently needs a brace to correct things.
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Most of the new materials will be delivered this Friday so pictures will be here next week.