SUPPORT THE HOOP FAMILIES IN PERU

Hello everyone! We're HOOP (Helping Overcome Obstacles Peru), a Peru-based NGO, and for the past ten years, we have supported underprivileged families in Arequipa. And to continue our work, we need your on-going support.

In 2020, like most of the world, the Covid-19 pandemic hit us by surprise, causing an immediate halt to our activities, including our main fundraising strategies. We have been able to overcome many of the challenges created by the circumstances of the pandemic, restarting and re-adjusting our main services. In 2022, HOOP has been supporting at least 200 families with various programs in the areas of Education, Psychology, Social Work and Sustainability.

For example, the price of bread, and other food staples has continued to skyrocket this year. At one point, one Sol (Peruvian currency) could only buy 2 pieces of bread. For families of 4 or more individuals, the simple act of buying bread has become unsustainable. Our Community Program has partnered with national organisations to fund and organise monthly food baskets for the families most-in need to help with this matter.

Family and Education converted all of their programs to remote-only and concentrated on providing those services most needed to overcome the effects of the pandemic. Currently our Family program supports the community with their mental and physical health through Yoga sessions and one-on-one psychological counselling. During the pandemic the mothers of the community had a spike in mental health problems, not knowing how to finance themselves and their households during a lockdown, or how to help their children manage their emotions throughout the pandemic. Our psychology staff focused on providing guidance for these topics. In 2022, this continues being their goal, yoga helps the mothers work on their physical health and gives them a space to manage their own emotions. While one-on-one counselling lets them tackle more specific issues such as parenting, and social anxiety.

Meanwhile in Education, our English-centred programming shifted to become more all encompassing. With a new team of volunteers, we started providing remote Homework Help for all subject matters and for all ages. In addition, as we noticed the intensity of the problem, we created a Tutoring program, where one child would be tutored on one subject matter throughout a semester. Due to lack of internet, bad remote education infrastructure, and the low education levels within the community these children were most at risk of falling behind their peers and losing entire years of education. In 2022 we have continued these programs, and in addition commenced the Coding project, where we teach children older than 11 how to code in SCRATCH. We view coding as a necessary skill, which will help them keep pace with the world wide education levels as well as help with the creation of solutions to the problems within their communities.

Lastly, throughout these years we have slowly and surely been working on the construction of our Community Center, this centre will become our main meeting point, here we will offer our programs in-person and provide services such as a library, and nursery. Thankfully we have been able to conclude the first phase, being able to open the first floor to our community.

To be able to continue working in 2023 and beyond we need your help.

That's why we're reaching out to everyone who knows our work and community to ask for your help. We believe that together, we can make it.