Oye LENA

Why education?

Education is seen as the building block of development anywhere in the world. A good education leads to informed choices, more knowledge, and better jobs.

Education policy is strongly intertwined with poverty. There is an increased chance of sound economic growth when there are good and specific investments in education. Certain specific groups could especially benefit from this (e.g. women, the poor, people in the countryside, and the indigenous population).

Read more on this page: Education in Peru

Why toddlers?

All experts agree that an important part of a child’s development takes place before they are six years old, on the cognitive level as well as on the motor, communicative, and social-emotional level. During this crucial time for brain development, the foundation for future learning ability is laid. In other words, good nursery education is of the utmost importance for a successful school career and opens doors to new opportunities in life.

Why girls?

There is a lot of gender inequality in Peru. Would you like to read more about this? You can do it on this page: gender inequality in Peru.

(Source: The Progressive Post, 2019)

Why primary school kids?

We want to keep supporting the children who have been coming to Oye LENA for years and give them all the chances they deserve. By guiding them through their homework, this is possible.

Why children with disabilities?

Children with disabilities require increased care from both the family and society. In traditional Peruvian society, this demand for care is often not met. The main causes are, due to a lack of knowledge, that children with disabilities are seen as a punishment from God, and because they believe that the investment of the extra care brings nothing in return for the family. This leads to a society that excludes children with disabilities from social life. The risk of neglect, malnutrition, and lack of development opportunities is significantly higher for these children.

There is a school for children and young people with disabilities in Curahuasi, but unfortunately, there are not enough teachers for the number of pupils and they have little or no knowledge about the different target groups. And so, unfortunately, there are complaints from various quarters and the school appears to do no more than providing shelter. The possibilities and talents of these children are not seized and children are not stimulated enough in their development. For example, children who have the opportunity to read or write do not learn this at this school.