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Genesis Area Program

Sponsor a child

Program Type

Community Development

Planned Life Cycle

2013 - 2028

Location

Peru

Areas of Focus

Health | Child Protection and Participation

Program Timeline

Status: Active

Progress

2,572people benefited from the provision of in-kind food assistance

Progress

1,890people were trained in business and entrepreneurial skills, including financial literacy and income-generating activities

Progress

192youth participated in life skills training through World Vision programs

A white jeep driving through a muddy path, featuring a rainbow and trees in the background.

Program Details

Context

The Genesis community is located in the mountains of Peru. The community is predominantly rural, with dirt tracks connecting different homesteads. A quarter of the population, however, lives in a more urban section, near Otuzco; the province's capital city. Most families in the region live in houses made with adobe or rammed earth walls.

The region is a rugged place with stark hills and ravines. There is little natural vegetation on the hillsides. A rapidly growing population along with unplanned use of land for farming, grazing, and logging has removed much of the natural vegetation on the hillsides. This has left much of the community vulnerable to mudslides and flooding in the rainy season. In addition, erosion reduces soil fertility and crop yields, leaving more and more families without enough food or resources to feed their families. A third of children in Genesis suffer from malnutrition.

...
Challenges
Education
Although children are attending primary school in the community, many are not receiving the necessary education. Parents often do not understand their role in supporting their children's education, and some lack the resources to provide school materials. There is also little access to pre-school education that could help children succeed in primary school.

Due to a lack of preparation and parental support, many children begin school late, which means that they struggle academically from early grades on. Children who start school late also face the shame of being in class with younger children. As a result, many children lose interest and drop out, especially those who are older. Some girls leave school to do chores at home or pursue informal jobs, while others are forced to leave due to teen pregnancy.

Health Care
Many children in Genesis do not enjoy good health. One in three is chronically malnourished, and far too many suffer with diarrheal illnesses and respiratory infections. Poor sanitation and a lack of safe water, coupled with little knowledge of good hygiene and sanitation practices, are the main causes of recurrent diarrheal illnesses. This is life threatening in young children already weakened by malnutrition, as many are. In terms of mental, physical, and emotional development, many parents do not understand how to stimulate their children to help strengthen these skills.

Food
Malnutrition is common in the Genesis community, and is caused by two factors: the quantity and the quality of food children eat. For rural farming families, harvest comes only once a year. That crop has to provide food until the next harvest. Adding to this strain, poor soils, ineffective traditional practices, and the effects of global warming mean that harvests are smaller and there is not enough food on the table year round. Even when there is enough food, parents do not understand how to provide a healthy meal, and children eat mostly carbohydrates....
Plans
Education
To ensure children can access and benefit from quality education, World Vision will assist the community to:
  • Train parents in how to support their children's education at home.
  • Develop innovative education projects and training suited to the community that will engage children and youth.
  • Train teachers in new ways of teaching.
  • Establish children's groups where youth can receive reinforcement, learn about their rights and responsibilities, acquire life skills, and develop leadership abilities.
  • Strengthen school organizations that promote child participation.
  • Train preschool teachers.

Health Care
With the partnership of Canadian sponsors and the community, World Vision will work to:
  • Train health promoters and volunteers in preventive healthcare, and support them to teach and work closely with other parents to establish new practices at home.
  • Set up integral development centres to promote holistic development in children under the age of three.

Food
To ensure parents in Genesis can provide for their families, World Vision will partner with the community to:
  • Improve agricultural yield and train farmers in improved techniques and organic production.
  • Identify parents who are raising well-nourished children, and train them to teach other parents about nutrition and how to prepare nutritious meals using local produce.
  • Support families to raise small animals that will add more protein to children's diets and improve their income.
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An image of children sitting on the ground in a classroom, writing in workbooks.

Results

Unless otherwise stated, data presented on this page reflects the most up-to-date results of World Vision Canada programs reported between October 2022 and September 2023, and any previous fiscal years available. Previously reported data may not match the current presentation as we continuously receive and refine data from our programs. If you have any questions, kindly reach out to us.