We need allies who believe in education as a tool for transformation! Investing in Santa Rosa means sowing opportunities where they are most needed. Help us to develop well-rounded, creative adolescents committed to the development of their rural community.

I’m Dr. Michelle Young, an archaeologist from the United States. My doctoral research at Yale University brought me to Peru, where I have been working for close to two decades. I started this GoFundMe campaign at the behest of my Peruvian friend, Cristian Castillo Crisostomo. I met Cristian almost a decade ago when I was conducting work in Yauli, Huancavelica, Peru, and he invited me to develop cultural heritage activities with ADILIT, the local youth group, for which he served as a mentor.

Cristian has dedicated his life to supporting childhood education in Huancavelica, which is often cited as one of the most economically depressed regions of Peru. Cristian is now a teacher at the Santa Rosa school in Hualchocolpa, Huancavelica, Peru, and is hoping for donations to offset the woefully underfunded public school system. Please consider making a donation to support the development of the music, sports, and technological programs at the school!

Cristian’s message below:

“The Santa Rosa Educational Institution is located in the district of Huachocolpa, one of the 93 districts of the Huancavelica region, in the northeast of the province of Tayacaja, within the area known as VRAEM (Valley of the Apurimac, Ene, and Mantaro Rivers). Since its creation in 1979, Santa Rosa Educational Institution has been the primary educational training space for adolescents from high Andean communities such as Yurupata, Huaylacucho, Ichucucho, Soledad, Chihuana, and others. It was born from the commitment of local families to provide their children with a better life opportunity through education. Since 2015, the school has been part of the Full School Day (JEC) program of the Peruvian Ministry of Education, which has allowed for the expansion of the school day, the modernization of some spaces, and the incorporation of technological resources to improve learning.

Despite these promising advances, many challenges persist. The lack of internet and logistical connectivity, the scarcity of educational materials and resources, and the remote location of the school make it difficult for students to access a comprehensive and modern education.

At I.E. Santa Rosa, there are many talented young people passionate about soccer and music, who dream of representing their community and transforming its future. However, they lack musical instruments or adequate equipment, which limits the development of their artistic and cultural skills.

With your support, we can:

• Provide musical instruments to the students. Band music is very important to the cultural identity of people in this region; bands play at all major community events (religious festivals, weddings, etc.). As such, being able to play a musical instrument is both a creative outlet and important cultural skill

• Implement spaces for artistic and sports training. The purchase and installation of sports equipment (balls, soccer nets, paint for field markings) would allow the school to develop a soccer program.

• Strengthen productive and technological skills that prepare young people for life. Donations will fund the purchase and maintenance of a computer, internet access, and paid instruction to train students on use of the computer.

I will cover the cost of currency exchange and transfer fees to make sure that Cristian receives the full value of all donations in Peru.