Cusco is located in southeastern Peru, near the Urubamba Valley of the Andes mountain range. It is one of the largest regions in the country and has an altitude of 3,400 metres above sea level. Cusco is the capital of the Cusco Region and of the Cusco Province.

Tourism has been the backbone of Cusco’s economy for the last couple of decades, relying on Macchu Picchu (one of the Seven Wonders of the World), antique infrastructure and unique artisanal handicrafts. It is the second most visited region in Peru, following Lima.

Unfortunately, not everyone in Cusco benefits from tourism and in the most rural areas, families rely mostly on agriculture, either for sale or subsistence.

A Quechua district located 21km from the city of Cusco. Ccorca is a vibrant district comprised of more than 2,500 inhabitants spread across eight remote communities. Historically, it has a strong culture of cooperation, making it well-disposed to our collaborative approach. We have been working with Ccorca since the beginning of Amantani.

In 2018, we expanded our work to Huanoquite, a Quechua district located 52 km from the city of Cusco. Huanoquite has 4,867 inhabitants. It shares the values and culture of Ccorca. It has been such a privilege to meet so many talented young people and welcome them to the Amantani family.

Why we work with Ccorca and Huanoquite

When we first arrived in Ccorca, we found that children and young people faced serious challenges in accessing education. Most families relied on farming and agriculture for sustenance as a majority of the older generations hadn’t been able to finish either primary or secondary school due to lack of proper schooling and financial constraints. The parents and grandparents of the families in Ccorca took pride in work they did in the land but wished for the future generations to access education and have a choice of improved employment opportunities.

Ccorca’s needs surrounding education changed throughout the years. At first, the main challenge was for children to physically access primary school, and as a result, we developed the Boarding Houses Project. Then new challenges arose, such as the need for ICT Literacy, further academic and psychological support, particularly for those in their final years of secondary school. With these new focus areas, we began working towards ensuring young people have the access to further and higher education that they deserve.

As their needs began to change, so did our projects and programmes. Led by the ever-changing requirements of our participants, we continued to adapt and began to shift our focus to addressing the lack of support networks for students who graduate from school. In addition, two years ago, we decided to expand our projects outreach to Huanoquite and broaden our impact.

Santa Clotilde, located in the El Napo district, in the province of Maynas (Loreto region) has a poverty index of almost 80%, from which 40% also falls into the category of extreme poverty. 70% of El Napo’s population consists of indigenous communities, including Kichwas, Secoyas, Arabelas and Maijunas, who focus on subsistence agriculture, making it hard for most families to develop economic stability.

The provision of basic services is also a challenge and so most communities’ access to clean water and electricity is unreliable. In Santa Clotilde, the capital of the district, people do have access to clean water, which is poured into tanks daily. Even though it also has access to electricity for approximately 10 hours per day, access to the internet is still a challenge.

These challenges, which stem from poverty and geographic obstacles, often limit the young people’s access to a higher education and formal employment, making it almost impossible for them and their families to break the cycle of poverty.