in communicating with your sponsored child, as the May 12-15 majority of the children do not know enough English to Feast of Our Lady of Fatima PERU write a letter. Those who do not know English will be November 1 assigned community workers and volunteers who will All Saints’ Day explain your letters and help the children compose their December 25 responses. Navidad (Christmas) Here are a few phrases in Spanish that you might *date varies want to use in your correspondence with your sponsored child: Religion in Peru Hola Hello Eighty-one percent of the Peruvian population is ¿Cómo es usted? Catholic and 13 percent are Protestant. How are you? Catholicism and Protestantism are denominations of Mi nombre es _____ the Christian faith. Christians are followers of Jesus, My name is ____ a carpenter and a Jew from the city of Nazareth in Gracias present-day Israel. Christians believe that Jesus is the Thank you only son of God, born of a virgin woman (Mary) in Adios a stable in Bethlehem. His story is told in the New Population 30 million Goodbye Testament of the Christian holy book, the Bible. The Capital City Lima Christian symbol—the cross—reminds the faithful Official Language Spanish Holidays that Jesus died for them, for the forgiveness of their sins. Christian holidays include Christmas (December Per Capita Income US$5,880/year Celebrations are very important to your sponsored child 25), which celebrates the birth of Jesus; Good Friday and family. The most important ones have religious or Youth Literacy Rate 98% male/97% female (March/April), which commemorates the death of Jesus political significance: on the cross; and Easter (March/April), the most holy of Access to Safe Water 91% urban/66% rural January 1 Christian sacred days that celebrates the resurrection of El Ano Nuevo (New Year’s Day) Under 5 Mortality Rate 18/1,000 live births Jesus on the third day after his death. March/April* Source: The State of the World’s Children 2014 (UNICEF) Pascua (Easter) May 1 Labor Day Peru is the third-largest South American country (approximately twice the size of France), Additional sources include the CIA World Factbook and State Department websites. much of which is not fit for human habitation. The country can be divided into three distinct regions: a narrow coastal belt, the wide Andean mountains, and the Amazon Basin. Plan International USA is part of a global organization that works side by side with communities in 50 developing countries to The Peruvian Andes are some of the most beautiful on the continent, and the mountains end the cycle of poverty for children. We develop solutions community by community to ensure long-term sustainability. Our level of community engagement, long-term outlook, and constant focus on the needs and priorities of children is unique among are home to millions of highland indigenous peoples who still speak the ancient language international development organizations. Our solutions are designed up-front to be owned by the community for generations to of Quechua and maintain a traditional way of life. The lush Amazon Basin, which occupies come, and range from clean water and health-care programs to education projects and child-protection initiatives. half of Peru, is one of the world’s most biodiverse regions. Peru has a species-rich tropical Promising Futures, Plan International USA rain forest that contains an area of seemingly endless ecological discovery, as well as Community by Community 155 Plan Way • Warwick, RI 02886 coastal deserts with huge, rolling dunes; farmland oases; and fishing villages on which rain 1-800-556-7918 • planusa.org seldom falls. A Brief History girls under the age of 5. We also focus on caring for pregnant women, mainly by promoting healthy Multiple layers of great civilizations have made Peru practices, early childhood education, good nutrition, a diverse and historic land. The first inhabitants were and enabling a caring environment at home and in the nomadic hunter-gatherers in Peru’s coastal regions. The community. oldest site, Pikimachay cave, dates from 12,000 BC. Later, advanced cultures such as the Chavín introduced Learning for life weaving, agriculture, and religion to the country. By the early 15th century, the Inca empire had control of much The main objective of this program is to improve the of the region, even extending its influence into the area development of children age 6 to 12 years old, by that would become Colombia and Chile. Between 1526 increasing their participation in decisions that affect and 1528, the Spanish conquistador Francisco Pizarro their lives. We are also committed to providing quality explored Peru’s coastal regions and, drawn by the riches education; improving their knowledge and practice of of the Inca empire, returned to Spain to raise money healthy habits; and enabling a caring environment. Food security and nutrition Family Structure and recruit men for another expedition to the country. Pizarro subsequently founded the city of Lima in 1535 Citizenship strengthening This program promotes the right to food for every child, As in many South American cultures, there is a strong but was assassinated six years later. The rebellion of the focusing on preventing and reducing malnutrition. We sense of family among the people of Peru. It is not last Inca leader, Manco Inca, ended tragically with his We support the development of adolescents age work to improve access to safe, nutritious food, while uncommon for members of the extended family— beheading in 1572. The next 200 years proved peaceful, 13 to 17—especially girls—by promoting active protecting the environment. including grandparents, cousins, and other relatives—to with Lima becoming the major political, social, and citizenship participation, access to quality education, live in the same house. As in many Latin American commercial center of the Andean nations. However, and information on sexual and reproductive health. We Economic Security countries, there is a male-centered influence, yet the the exploitation of natives by their colonial masters led also provide vocational training and help these youth to woman of the family holds tremendous influence and The percentage of people who work in the agriculture to an uprising in 1780 under the self-styled Inca Tupac develop important life skills. power over the children and all monetary issues. sector has gone down drastically over the last 30 years Amaru II. The rebellion was short-lived, and most of the as increasing numbers of people move to urban areas. leaders were rounded up and executed. Peru continued Sustainable livelihoods Ethnic Diversity Among the families with which Plan works, however, to remain loyal to Spain until 1824, when the country Plan provides assistance to poor adolescents and young more than three-quarters are still dedicated to farming. After the Spanish conquest of Peru in the 1500s, was liberated by Simón Bolívar. people, mainly girls and women, by helping them Basic crops include potatoes, corn, sweet potatoes, many Spaniards and indigenous peoples married, with to develop entrepreneurial, productive, social, and cassava, and fruits that are mainly used for family their descendants now called mestizos. This ethnic Plan’s work in Peru covers five key personal skills so that they can better access the labor consumption. Many farmers struggle with the problem group accounts for nearly half of the population of areas, all of which are rooted in the market and improve their income prospects. of land tenure in Peru and are forced to sell their land Peru. Native Peruvians also form a large ethnic group. rights of the child: and work for others. Poverty forces many families to put The Quechua and Aymara peoples, both of highland their children to work after school. In urban centers, this origin, constitute about half of the population. These Children’s health Child rights, protection, and practice typically involves children of no more than 5 or two groups have retained their cultural and linguistic Learning for life governance 6 years of age selling sweets on the streets or on buses, heritage, which dates back to pre-Inca times when these Citizenship strengthening We facilitate training of children and adolescents to help or sometimes simply begging. Other work activities groups flourished. Sustainable livelihoods them learn, appreciate, and advocate for their rights. include cleaning car windshields at traffic lights. In Child rights, protection, and governance We also work closely with the relevant government rural areas, it is more common for children to help Language authorities to provide child protection in child-friendly Children’s health around the house or with taking care of the animals. environments and prioritize child rights in key policy Girls frequently work for money on neighboring farms The Quechua and Aymara languages are quite common We work to improve the development of boys and and budgetary decisions. washing clothes and milking cows. in rural areas, but most children speak Spanish. It is very likely that you will encounter a language barrier .