Avoiding rural depopulation

Location: 

Cusco, Peru

Partner organization: The association Yanapanakusun has been actively supporting children and teenagers who have been illegally employed as servants by rich families in town for more than two decades. Most of those young people come from isolated villages in the poor Andean region. Only few of them go to school and many are victims of violence. Yanapanacusun runs a hostel and a school, but also trains the young people in housekeeping and social work. A radio program provides them with information about their rights.

Project descripion: So called „casas de cultura“ have been installed in two provinces. These are simple structures, where children receive help and support and spend their limited free time in a meaningful way. Emanating from farming families, they usually have had to work hard from a very young age. Many parents are illiterate and cannot help their children with school work. The “casas” are built and run by Yanapanakusun on public land and in each place teachers and local social workers trained by Yanapanakusun work with such children within the different age groups. The purpose is to protect them socially and legally, also to improve their education so that they don’t migrate to the cities where they run the risk of being exploited.

Contribution apia: apia’s contribution went toward the construction and operation of five “casas de cultura” for a period of five years.