2024 in Review
I am deeply grateful for your support of Paths of Hope and the work we are doing together to support young people aging out of residential care in Peru. Your generosity and commitment have made an impact on numerous lives throughout the past year. At the heart of our mission is a world where every young person knows they are seen, heard, and deeply loved by God and together we are seeing this happen.
Through your partnership, we were able to strengthen our mentoring program as more volunteers became fully trained and started meeting with their mentees at the Puericultorio Pérez Araníbar. The mentors continue to build support around their mentees as as they navigate the transition toward interdependence and well-being.
Your contributions make this ministry possible. Together we are witnessing powerful stories of resilience, growth and hope.
Here are some highlights from 2024:
We’re proud to share that we made significant strides in trauma-informed care education during 2024. Over 75 individuals completed the intensive 20-hour trauma-competent caregiver program. An additional 260 people participated in our abbreviated training about trauma and its impact on vulnerable populations.
We were able to expand the Caminando Juntos mentoring program to now include the Girasoles children’s home in Urubamba. Volunteer mentors began meeting with their mentees from the home.
The mentors in Lima organized multiple social events for the teens living at the Puericultorio Pérez Araníbar. These events allow the mentors to get to know all of the residents in the home and also for the teens to become familiar with Paths of Hope and the mentoring program.
In partnership with the Perú por los Niños network, we helped coordinate and participated in the Alianza Cristiana para los Huérfanos conference in Lima. Over 400 people were in attendance from more than 13 countries across Central and South America to learn about caring for the vulnerable through adoption, foster care and mentoring programs. Billy led a panel during one of the plenary sessions and the conference in general was an invaluable opportunity for us to share about the ministry of Paths of Hope.
We signed a partnership agreement with Buckner Peru to begin the Caminando Juntos mentoring ministry at their two transitional homes in Lima and Cusco. Each home has capacity for 8 young women who have graduated from institutional care. We are coming alongside Buckner to help facilitate their integration into society while strengthening their emotional well-being through participation in the mentor ministry.
We were invited to present a workshop about self-care for staff at children’s homes at the Ministerio de la Mujer y Poblaciones Vulnerables (the government office, Department for Women and Vulnerable Populations). Over 80 caregivers and professional staff from various homes across the city of Lima attended the event.
Thank you for being a vital part of this journey. Your partnership is a testament to the transformative power of God’s love and we are so grateful to have you walk alongside us in this important work.
With heartfelt gratitude,
Susan Smith
President, Board of Directors
Paths of Hope
