My first visit to Peru - Iain Allan Mills (Fundraising Manager)

I bring news from Peru. September and October were months filled with many firsts for me. It was the first time I visited Peru, the first time I met the young people we work with in-person, and the first time I saw just how difficult, sometimes impossible, it is for young people in isolated regions to access the essential support and vital education they need to have any hope of equal opportunities in Peruvian life. It was also the first time I witnessed the impact of the work we are all part of undertaking, be that with young people telling stories of University, Weavers choosing patterns to enable work and independence or the Parent groups showing just how much support there is for the young people at monthly meetings. All of this in very real time and all as part of a very memorable professional and personal experience. 

My eyes and my heart have been well and truly opened; in every community, in the Amazon, in the Andes, I was welcomed with the warmth of Peruvian hospitality, invited into people's homes, told stories of progress and education, introduced to community members, to community animals, and given the chance to see the daily lives of those living remotely up close. This time in Peru brought to light the very real needs that exist right now and reminded me of the impact of our work, of the importance of having someone (you and I) in Peru's corner, of collective compassion, and of how human generosity and can turn a lifetime of food insecurity and isolation into a life of education, profession and success. 

One of the core values of our communities in Peru and a value that I live by is that of 'ayni', and so, it is here that I will begin to reciprocate my thanks and respect for those in Peru and begin to generate support for the plight of young Peruvians. It's my role at Amantani to help build a secure and reliable model of funding and I wouldn't be doing my job if I didn't really lean into that in these communications. The fact is, if you're reading this then we really need your help. This is an incredibly difficult time in our education and support cycle and we are potentially looking at reducing services in 2025 if we can't generate enough support to maintain the incredible levels we provide right now. On seeing the impact of our work first hand I myself set-up a monthly support donation while I was in Peru and it was an incredibly simple thing to do.

I know it's not easy for you to single out a charity to support, and often many of us feel that we can't make that much difference but even the smallest donation goes a long way and often donating can be incentivised as well as incredibly rewarding. That's why I want to tell you about Giving Tuesday.

DONATE HERE

This year, on December 3rd, we’re thrilled to join forces again with Global Giving for a special initiative. For 24 hours, Global Giving will be matching donations—until funds run out! We'd like to encourage ALL supporters to perhaps skip a coffee or two this season and donate £5 or £10 to essential work supporting young indigenous Peruvians in Iquitos and Cusco. 

Thank you all for reading along and for joining us on the last adventure of the year!

Iain Allan Mills

Fundraising Manager