Peru has made many gains against poverty during the last few decades. However, these gains have not been equally distributed among urban and rural Peruvians. Although Peru’s poverty rate is less than half of what it was twenty years ago, there is still a lot of work to be done to improve the economic status of nearly seven million Peruvians.
Education plays a major role in reducing Peru’s poverty rate. According to the World Economic Forum, Peru ranked 27th in quality of the educational system in 2020, compared to 24th in 2019. In 2021, the country had a learning poverty rate of 56%, which means 56% of students at the age of ten cannot adequately read or understand simple text.
The pandemic further strained Peru’s education system by reducing the government’s, as well as many families’ ability to invest in education. The shift to at-home learning during the pandemic, made it impossible for students who lacked computer access or Internet connectivity to effectively continue their schooling.
Inequality in education is an issue in Peru, since a student’s location and socioeconomic status determines their educational opportunities. Children located in rural areas suffer the most from limited educational opportunities. Additionally, students from poorer families drop out of school at higher rates and enter the labor force much earlier than students from families with higher income.
In Peru, high school dropout rates continue to be a problem, with 12% of children leaving school before age 13, and 17% not finishing secondary school. Valley Global’s cofounder witnessed the poverty many Peruvians face while working as an English teacher in the country. He saw the important role education plays in lifting people out of poverty and improving their health and wellbeing.
Upon returning to the United States, he was inspired to start a nonprofit that would provide supplemental education to Peruvians in order to assist the country in accomplishing their sustainable development goals. The Valley Global Education Center will be based in Lima, but plans to run local programs throughout rural communities in the country.
Valley Global will also partner with organizations to help support and provide volunteers and resources when these events occur.
Support Valley Global
Valley Global Education Center Of Lima
Qualifications
The Valley Global Education Center will serve youth age 16-24 who only have a lower secondary education (equivalent to middle school in the United States). Our classes will be free but prospective students must submit an application to be considered for enrollment. Applications will be completed online or in-person for students who do not have Internet access. A designated committee will review applications to select students who will most benefit from our program.
Curriculum
Valley Global Education Center will offer English classes as well as sustainable development classes that teach students to address local and global challenges, such as poverty, inequality, climate change, environmental degradation, and loss of biodiversity. Our classes will empower students to make a social impact in their communities by working to accomplishing several sustainable development goals outlined by the United Nations. Our sustainable development classes will: 1. Encourage economic sustainability 2. Promote environmental protection 3. Promote social equity
Schedule
Our school year will run from March to December, and classes will be held Monday through Friday from 8am to 2pm. Classes will be held at our headquarters in Lima. As we train more teachers, we will begin to offer classes at branch sites around the country. Valley Global’s teachers will be interns recruited from local colleges and universities. As our organization grows, we will hire Project Managers to teach English and sustainable development classes at branch sites throughout Peru. Students who successfully complete our program will be hired as teachers and sustainable development coaches in Lima or local branch sites.