Sonrisas en Peru - Smiles in Peru

As an English teacher you frequently get the opportunity to meet people from all over the world, most of which are usually just visiting Peru for a brief period.  Interestingly enough most of my friends and acquaintences are from countries other than the US.  Today while I was waiting for my afternoon class I ran into a friend of mine who I had met a few months ago (who is from Australia).  We talked for a while in the infamous teachers lounge for awhile until he started talking about a charitable organization he had formed not to long ago.  The organization which he administers is dedicated to providing essential educational materials to rural schools, institutions, and various local projects which recieve little to no support from the Peruvian government.  Below is a full description that was taken from his website:

 "We provide classes as well as essential materials for education such as textbooks, writing supplies, and other resources to rural schools, institutions and various projects which receive little or no funding from government. This is accomplished through donations: monetary as well as books, stationery items and clothing to aid those lacking the resources for a simple education we take for granted.

We also raise funds through the sale of local-made traditional products in which the proceeds go toward providing education and assistance.

Part of our vision is to increase local trade in the community by offering Peruvian products to our donors at fair trade prices. This helps to improve the economic stance of the community members while also allowing the community to feel personally invested in and responsible for the positive changes taking place in their schools."

From what I have heard and seen the organization looks legit and the owner accepts more the just monetary donations like used clothing or shoes.  The cause is authentic and benefits the underprivileged youth which is always a good thing.  Take a few minutes out of your day and go check out his webpage, look at the photos as well while your there.  Below are a few more words from his page along with a link.

"Sonrisas en Peru, meaning “smiles in Peru” in Spanish, is an organisation dedicated to improving the lives of under-privileged children in rural Peru.
Working closely with impoverished communities, our organisation prides itself on being a bridge for needy children to connect with a better quality of education by providing classes as well as basic necessities such as textbooks, school supplies, funds, clothing, and even food.
Discover more about what we do or if you want to put a smile on a child’s face here’s how you can help."

Sonrisas en Peru