In keeping with the season I have been thinking a lot about what we did in 2012 and what we should be doing in 2013. We ran considerably more projects and programs last year than we set out to last January and I need to thank our program directors Louise and Ian for keeping on top of all the activity. The coalescing of ideas and people to create a wonderful development opportunity doesn’t always follow our corporate schedule so there were some busy times in 2012! In the end, nothing was unnecessarily rushed and I can honestly say that the results of our work have been impressive. Some highlights for me included the mothers in Patacancha serving the first trout lunches to primary school kids there, seeing the guinea pigs and speaking with the kids in Chamana, sharing study time with the children at the Biblioteca Kallpanchis (and seeing the sign-in book with never fewer than 30 kids names listed), playing with Ada’s children at Mosoq Runa and visiting the marginalized children in Bolivia with whom we began working in 2012.
I am inspired and humbled by the incredible social entrepreneurs running the programs – too many to mention by name in this blog but I will introduce them to you over the course of the months to come.
2013 will be slightly quieter for us. We have 3 new projects almost ready to go (detail to come in future blogs) and are still committed to 10 others. Some of the ongoing community projects are entering their second or third years and they are now self-sustaining. Some of the partnership projects are being adjusted as needs and circumstances change.
Perhaps our biggest challenge in 2013 will come in July when Ian returns to University in the USA. My New Year’s wish is for another Ian to come our way!
This blogpost is meant to bring you closer to the work that we are doing in South America. The blogs will be written mostly by Ian and me but also by some of our partners in the communities and the children themselves. I hope that they will transport you to the remote rural communities in Peru where we work and that they help you share, to some degree, in the incredible rewards we feel every day doing this type of work.
Feliz Ano Nuevo!
Alan
Great first post by a great organization! Looking forward to reading more of how Alma Children’s Education Foundation is changing lives. Thanks for sharing!
Alma is one of very few organizations willing to commit to remote rural areas. Without a doubt there are challenges working so far from everything, but it is vital work. I am sure you are changing a lot of lives!