Peruvian Hearts is a non-profit organization that I started when I was 11 years old. The mission of Peruvian Hearts is to improve the quality of life for children in Peru who are living in orphanages or in extreme poverty. We do this through focusing on education, health-care and nutrition. Peruvian Hearts has raised about $150,000 along with vitamins, school supplies, books and clothing, which have gone to support children living in orphanages in the area of Cusco, Peru.

Some of the projects that Peruvian Hearts has taken on are: The Vitamin Project: supplying multi-vitamins on a daily basis. This year we will be expanding this project from 100 vitamins daily to 400. Scholarship Project: Peruvian Hearts pays for school fees, uniforms and school equipment for all the children in the orphanages we support. Maria's Gift Scholarship Fund: This is a scholarship named in honor of my birth mother Maria who never learned to read or write. It's purpose is to send girls to college when they are ready. Lunch Program: Peruvian Hearts supports lunch programs that are sponsored by the orphanages we work with that are designed to feed children who walk several miles each day to and from school. We augment the quality of food they are given and provide daily multi-vitamins to help reverse the effects of malnutrition. The Library Project: Peruvian Hearts sends childrens books in Spanish down to Peru so that the children can have access to reading. The Tutoring Program: Peruvian Hearts pays for a tutor to come in daily for reinforcement and remediation. Many of the children who are living in orphanages did not attend school regularly before being placed in the orphanage, so their academic skills are weak. In an effort to enhance educational opportunities in the future for the children we provide tutoring to help them catch up on skills that they missed while not attending school. Medical and Health Partnerships: Peruvian Hearts has paid for medical and dental exams for the children in the past. We are planning partnerships with other medical missions that will provide screening for (and treatment of) congenital heart problems, and general health and dental evaluations and treatment. Purchase of basic items necessary for health, nutrition and sanitation. A few items are: we have helped construct greenhouses, purchased chickens for breeding and for providing eggs for regular protein and this year we bought the orphanage solar water heaters so the children could have hot baths for the first time in their lives! Outreach Projects: I am the Youth Ambassador for the Stop Child Poverty Campaign (sponsored by the New Zealand based Global Volunteer Network Foundation). Through this position I have had the opportunity to speak to students in many places about following their dreams and holding on to the belief that they can change the world with small acts of kindness and peace. I have spoken at Peace Jam, various schools and at the United Nations for the International Day of Peace for Students.

Peruvian Hearts also publishes an online newsletter and participates in Christmas Sales of Peruvian Crafts to raise awareness and raise funds. You can sign up for our newsletter on our homepage at: www.PeruvainHearts.org We also work with students on raising awarenes about exteme poverty in childen and help children understand that they can be a part of the solution in helping the world to overcome the effects of poverty on children.

It is very easy to get involved with Peruvian Hearts to help overcome child poverty in Peru. There are several ways listed on our website about how to get involved. Please visit: www.peruvianhearts.org/GetInvolved.html