Latest update

Peru announced new 14-day lockdowns beginning 31 January for 10 of its 25 regions, including the capital city, Lima. Many hospitals are at or beyond capacity and medical personnel are strained. Peru reported 46,853 active infections on 4 February and a total of over 41,753 COVID-19 related deaths. Schools are closed except in rural areas with no COVID-19 infections, where there is a limited resumption of in-person teaching. However, classes are scheduled to begin virtually on 15 March for all schools. Strict curfews remain in effect nationwide but vary by region. Social distancing and the wearing of face masks in public places are required.

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COVID-19 in Peru

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How is Compassion currently operating in Peru?

  • Are Compassion centres open?

    At this point, all Compassion child development centres in Peru are closed.

    The national staff and church partners are monitoring children and families who are vulnerable due to extreme poverty, possible abuse or health complications. Partner churches are working closely with local authorities to deliver supplies to families and have been able to distribute 640,000 food packs and 426,000 hygiene kits. Additionally, they have helped more than 38,000 individuals access medical support during the pandemic.

  • Are children receiving letters?

    The majority of letters are delayed in Peru, which means it may take longer for you to receive letters from your sponsored child. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t write! We encourage you to continue sending your sponsored child letters of encouragement and hope. What a joyful day it will be when those letters are delivered!

  • Are gifts being delivered?

    Gifts continue to be distributed in Peru. Staff members have been given the option to disburse monetary gifts to an appropriate, verified caregiver, if necessary. This applies to family gifts and child gifts (including birthday and final gifts). Families may spend the gift on whatever they consider most important to meet family needs. The caregiver will decide the best use of the money, recognising that sometimes purchasing food or paying rent is in the best interest of a child.

How you can pray

Thank you for praying for children and families in Peru who have been impacted by COVID-19—and the local staff and churches who continue to serve them in difficult circumstances.

Please join us in praying for the following:

  • God's comfort and strength would be with Diana and Noemi as they grieve their father's passing.
  • Healing for Yenifer’s baby who ahs a heart condition.
  • Healing and a quick recovery for Brayan’s baby brother as he recovers from his operation.
  • Pray that God would give the local church partners wisdom and guidance as they plan and continue to provide the necessary food, medical care and supplies to the children and their families.
  • Praise God for the Child Protection Workshop's successful implementation to help staff and church leaders continue to get better at identifying, protecting and keeping children safe from harm.
  • God would bring peace and comfort to the children and families who are mourning the loss of a loved one.
  • Pray that God would protect and prevent COVID-19 from spreading.
Feeding hungry kids in Peru

Feeding hungry kids in Peru

It’s breakfast time for 14-year-old Nicol and her younger cousins. As they sit at the table, they wonder what they’re going to eat when Nicol sees someone carrying a bag to the house.   Read more open_in_new

Feeding hungry kids in Peru

It’s breakfast time for 14-year-old Nicol and her younger cousins. As they sit at the table, they wonder what they’re going to eat when Nicol sees someone carrying a bag to the house.

“I think our sponsors are sending us groceries again! We just ran out of the food we had,” says a teary Nicol as she hugs her grandma Esperanza.

Nicol and three of her five cousins are registered with Compassion’s Child Sponsorship Program. They live with Esperanza as their parents left for Lima in search of better jobs eight years ago. The money they usually sent home was interrupted by COVID-19.

“They can’t send anything now they don’t have jobs. It broke my heart to hear my grandkids cry because they were too hungry,” says Esperanza as her voice breaks up.

Peru’s state of emergency and quarantine has severely limited the ability to provide and put food on the table in most Peruvian households. Undoubtedly, it is the poorest who are the hardest hit.

“The parents called us and were desperate. Grocery stores were experiencing shortages and whatever was available was too expensive,” says Centre Director Alfredo Fernandez.

Staff from the local Compassion centre have been delivering food to many families like Nicol’s in the Peruvian jungle. The staff feel blessed to be able to care for these children and their families.

“I’m so happy when they bring us food. I love seeing my grandma and my whole family happy,” says Nicol.

“God never forgets us and I’m forever grateful to the centre, the pastor and the sponsors. May the Lord guide you and bless you all. Thank you for giving us our daily bread,” says Esperanza.

Crisis Reports from Peru

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    Flooding in Piura, Peru (Crisis Update) 04 Apr, 2021

    The situation

    Recent heavy rains caused flooding and extensive damage to homes, schools, health facilities, crops and roads. The government-declared state of emergency is still in effect in the northern and eastern areas, specifically the provinces of Piura and San Martin. The communities currently have restricted access to food, clean water and sufficient sewage processing due to a mudslide.

    Global Compassion impact

    Number of local church partners affected: 0 Number of Compassion assisted children affected: 122

    New information

    Local church partners are still assessing the impact on Compassion-assisted children and families in their communities. Food, water, mattresses and repair materials have been provided to those in need of these items.

    Prayer

    Please continue to pray for the affected families to have good health, protection from further damage and provision as they recover.

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    Flooding in Piura, Peru 05 Mar, 2021

    The situation

    The government has declared a state of emergency in the department of Piura, which includes several provinces in Peru. Heavy rains caused flooding and extensive damage to homes, schools, health facilities, crops and roads. The communities currently have no access to food, clean water or sufficient sewage processing. A mudslide blocked a main road and is being cleared by a local agency. Once the road is open they hope to get emergency food delivered from Chiclayo, Lambayeque province.

    Global Compassion impact

    Number of local church partners affected: 0 Number of Compassion assisted children affected: 102

    New information

    Church partners in the impacted areas of Piura are helping to provide for basic needs in the community such as food, water, mosquito nets, cleaning items and repair materials, as well as torches since there is often no electricity at night. Unfortunately, the impact of the flooding comes at an especially difficult time with the current COVID-19 restrictions.

    Prayer

    Please pray for peace, protection and provision for the affected children and families.

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Thank you for praying for children and families in Peru who have been impacted by COVID-19—and the local staff and churches who continue to serve them in difficult circumstances.

A snapshot of Compassion's Child Sponsorship Program in Peru

Compassion’s program is contextualised across countries and communities, as well as age groups.

  • Children aged 1 to 3 receive home-based care.
  • Children aged 3 to 12 visit the Compassion centre three days a week, for two to four hours each day, or on Saturdays.
  • Students aged 12 to 18 attend the centre for two days a week, for three hours a day, or on Saturdays.
  • Students aged 18 and older attend once a week, mostly on Saturday evenings.
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Compassion Program Activities in Peru

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Compassion assisted children in Peru typically attend program activities at their local child development centre on Saturdays. They also attend for a couple of hours after school during the week. Here is an example of what a typical program day looks like for children in Peru.

8:00am - Breakfast and devotion time. Children are usually given tea served with snacks like eggs, bread or buns.

9:00am - Spiritual lessons where children sing songs and learn Bible stories. When they join the Child Sponsorship Program, children are given a scripture portion. When they are aged six to nine, they are given picture Bibles, at 10 to 13 youth Bibles and from age 14 they receive adult Bibles.

10:30am - Break time where children can play in a safe environment and develop friendships.

11:00am - Social-emotional lessons ranging from conflict resolution to developing healthy self-esteem and a godly character. Children often come from challenging home environments and are taught social and personal skills.

12:00pm - Lunch and social time. Children generally receive a meal three days a week. A typical meal includes a dish of vegetable salad, a second dish of meat stew with beans and rice, fruit and a refreshment. Centre cooks are frequently trained to prepare nutritious meals.

1:00pm - Health lessons where children learn practical health and hygiene advice on a range of topics such as the prevention of malaria and HIV.

2:00pm - Letter writing and career planning. Older children work with local staff to identify their strengths and interests and set goals for their future.

In addition to Compassion’s curriculum, children have opportunities to participate in activities such as camping or visiting a museum or cultural show. Students are offered vocational training in silk screening, jewellery-making, baking and buffet preparation. Parents of Compassion assisted children meet once a month to learn about a variety of topics.

The greatest needs impacting children living in poverty in Peru

88

mothers die from pregnancy related causes per 100,000 births

13%

of people lack access to safe drinking water

24%

of people lack access to proper sanitation

Peru faces real struggles: a corruption scandal has implicated many past presidents and the real poverty rate rose in 2017 after years of improvement. Too many children are caught up in child labour, a lack of access to education, and more.

Four Peruvian ex-presidents have now been placed under investigation for allegedly accepting bribes from Odebrecht, a Brazilian engineering firm that transferred money to politicians or paid for campaign costs in return for favourable decisions on lucrative construction projects. The opposition party has also been caught up in the scandal, with opposition leader Keiko Fujimori investigated. She denies receiving any money from the company.

President Martin Vizcarra was sworn in as head of state in March 2018 after then-President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski resigned amid allegations of corruption linked to Odebrecht. President Vizcarra has said that tackling corruption will be his government’s priority. Given the breadth and depth of the scandal—which has swept across three continents and revealed hundreds of millions of dollars of bribes—that task will not be easy.

Meanwhile, the percentage of Peruvians (both urban and rural) living in poverty actually increased in 2017. Over the past two decades, Peru’s poverty rate has dropped remarkably, but this recent turnaround is a worrying development. More than 6.9 million people now live in poverty, most in rural areas. Indigenous people are disproportionately affected.

Children still face many hardships and issues related to poverty: Between a quarter and a third of children aged six to 14 work, sometimes in dangerous conditions in mines or on construction sites. For many families, the choice to send their children to work is made by the confronting reality that an extra daily wage means food on the table. Other options, such as sending their children to school, don’t have the same urgency—but that contributes to ongoing poverty, as children don’t receive the education they need to graduate and find steady employment.

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