A game changer in San Juan de Lurigancho, Lima, Peru. In 2018 36 young adults/teenagers completed their secondary education. Bravo!
The latest figures show that 14.6% of all birth are from teenage mothers. These pregnancies – most of them unwanted – lead to social disadvantages such as low education.
This is the kind of situation that drives Taller de los Niños crazy! After many investigations and administrative struggles (this is still Peru after all), they started at begining of 2016, a special school for teenage mothers. Why is this special? It offers young mothers a schedule which is adapted to their new daily routine, allowing them to attend class. It also offers dedicated teachers that follow each student. Those teachers make sure they start where they finished last time, even if the student missed a class.
But you shouldn’t think this is all “study if you wish” kind of policy. Rules are strict as there are many young mothers applying for a seat in that “escuela inclusiva”. There are precise criterias to be followed and a level to be reached at the end of each school year.
Funny story, in april 2017 Doris Leuthard visited Taller de los Niños during an official visit of Peru ; she has praised the association back in Switzerland on swiss radio!
Association Léon sponsors the project in 2016, 2017, 2018 and we’ve done it again in 2019, financing all salaries of teachers and helpers of this very special school.
Looking forward to see the constant efforts of those young persons being rewarded.
Nice recap in spanish: link youtube
associationleon.com 