It’s almost Fall in Arequipa and the school term is beginning, including at the Cuna Jardin Corazon de Jesus. When the parents, usually single mothers, don’t have alternative child care arrangements the children come to the Cuna Jardin over summer holidays – January and February. Once the regular term – for nursery and kindergarten as well as the homework club for the older children – commences then about 120 children attend.

The Cuna Jardin is open from 6:00 AM to 6:00 PM, providing both pre-school and after school care for the children.  Because of the extended hours parents are able to work knowing their children will be well taken care of. Without the Cuna Jardin many parents would not have alternative child care arrangements; a common sight in Arequipa is a mother selling goods on the street with accompanied by her child (ren). Although extended family care is still the norm in Peru, many of the poorest families have left their traditional homes in the country to come to Arequipa in the hopes of finding employment and to provide for their children.

Pictures from the visit can be seen here: http://www.pbase.com/tracyk/2018_03_06_cuna_visit

I was in Arequipa for a few weeks and visited both the Cuna Jardin, Corazon de Jesus and IRID. So far this year the weather has been better than last year and there’s been no issue with rain. Because of summer holidays the Cuna Jardin doesn’t have the full number of children, but there are some in the homework club and several younger children come daily while their mothers work. A volunteer has been coming in to work with the children. Photos from the visit here:
http://www.pbase.com/tracyk/2018_01_18_cuna_jardin

We had a huge turnout at the annual Latin Music Night at the Yardbird Suite,people came to enjoy the music bid on the wide array of Silent Auction items and to support the work of SUPC in Arequipa, Peru.

Thanks, as always, to the musicians and dancers for volunteering their time and talent: Los Rebeles Musicales, Jorge Vargas, Mariachi Mundo, Oscar and Judith Garica and Marco Claveria group.

Thanks as well to the volunteers for helping at the door, with the food and the silent auction: Board members Brandy Berry (and her daughters Skye and Sage) and also Aisha Oboh,: volunteers Hope Martynuik, Doris Lachat, Cecilia Acat. And special thanks to Pam Josey of the Yardbird Suite.

Photos from the event here:

http://www.pbase.com/tracyk/2017_10_29_supc_latin_music_night