The Cosmopolitan Club’s 2004 Thanksgiving Benefit Dinner project raised a total of $811 to help buy books and educational tools for Institución Educativa Inicial N°523, a public kindergarten located in a shantytown called José Carlos Mariategui in the city of Villa María del Triunfo, a marginal suburb of Lima, Peru.
In order to avoid paying the fees involved when transferring money to Peru (often substantial), the kindergarten and I decided that it would be best if I could transport the money the next time I visited Peru. In March of this year, I went to Peru for both professional and family activities, so I brought the money for the kindergarten.
The principal Ms. Yrasema Cabrera, my sister, Profesora Rosa, my brother, and I spent half a day in various places in Lima buying books and teaching aids for the school. We carefully distributed the money as follows: a picture dictionary; 100 books for ages 3, 4, and 5; 30 kits to teach math and spelling words. For the first time, these students will have access to real books with nice pictures and stories. The picture below displays some of the materials we purchased along with some children with ages between 3 and 4.
We thank, once more, all of you who donated money to help educate these children.
