Perú por los Niños Conference

Last month Billy and Kate Greenman traveled to Arequipa, Peru to participate in the first Perú por los Niños (Perú for the Children) national conference.

Paths of Hope is one of the founding members of the Perú por los Niños (PPLN) network. The network’s mission is to unite churches, non-profit organizations and the Peruvian government to improve the care of vulnerable children in Peru. As a part of the leadership committee, Billy met regularly with the PPLN team to plan the event. Kate, who manages the social media for the network, helped coordinate the publicity and registrations for the conference.

About 100 people from across the country of Peru attended the 2-day gathering to learn more about how they can improve the quality of care they provide. Paths of Hope was able to network with organizations working in other cities around the country and offer the trauma competent caregiver training. We also spent some time developing relationships with staff from a few children’s homes in the Lima area.

Leaders from different organizations presented about the work they do and the role of the church in caring for orphans and vulnerable children, and child-welfare professionals shared on topics such as trauma and attachment.

Conference attendees participated in a interactive workshop called “Life in Limbo”. The workshop gave participants the opportunity to step into the shoes of birth parents, child welfare workers and displaced children to learn what it feels like to live their lives.

One of the speakers was Nancy Tolentino Gamarra, the current Minister of Women and Vulnerable Populations (MIMP) for the Peruvian government. Nancy (below: in the center with red jacket) shared her vision for how organizations can collaborate with the government to improve care for vulnerable families and children.

The conference was received well and we’re starting to lay the groundwork for another gathering next year!