Spring 2011 News: Refuge of Hope Peru

March 1st started the 2011 school year for The Refuge of Hope in Pucallpa, Peru. The classrooms are full and students full of energy! This year there are 100 children enrolled in the preschool, 300 in elementary, and 60 youth and adults in vocational programs, including carpentry, metalwork, computers, sewing and cosmetics. Of these, 30 students live full-time on campus in the boarding program.

We thank you for your donations over the winter season. Your contributions were used to provide 3 meals a day for boarding students, pay for electricity, and buy 55 chickens and 140 trees in honor of many wonderful donors. Donations were also used to repair the plumbing system that provides water for the campus. Old leaky pipes and taps were stressing the water pump and wasting energy. These pipes and taps have now been replaced, which will save money and help The Refuge run more efficiently. We continue to strive to be good stewards of your money and use 100% of every penny directly for the needs of the school and students. With basic needs met, The Refuge of Hope can move forward in its mission to empower disabled children and youth with education and skills.

Running for the Refuge

Jim Wiltbank of Yuma, Arizona, raised over $8000 for The Refuge of Hope running the Yuma Territorial Marathon in January! Jim has been a long time champion for ROH. This time he ran over 400 miles in preparation for the 26.2 mile run. Our deepest thanks go to Jim and all his friends. The money raised will provide food for about 16 months for the Refugio de Esperanza students and families. We couldn't do it without you!

Rhode Island Fundraiser Party brings a brood of egg laying hens.

On February 26th, with the help of a wonderful team of ROH supporters, Board member Maureen Estevez and volunteers Martha Perez-McAlester, Emily McKenna and Ana Maria Rodriguez (shown L to R in photo) hosted our first ever Hot Chicks Fundraiser Party! At this fabulous party, attendees had the opportunity to buy hens and name them after someone they love! This event is part of our effort to support a series of economic-sustainability projects at ROH. The hens will be raised by students in Peru starting this summer. After the initial six months of growth, each hen will lay one egg a day to be sold in the local market. The earnings will be used to cover the operation and maintenance costs of ROH. With the support of over thirty attendees and friends, we were able to raise approximately $1000. As we rapidly approach the summer, we continue to request your support to reach the $2,000 needed to start the project.