The people we serve in Peru have a face, and they have a name. Rosa is a college student living in a Buckner transitional home for women aging out of institutional care. Maria and George are hard-working parents of five in Pamplona, an impoverished community of Lima, who are trying to make ends meet so their children can go to school. Luis is 10 years old, the youngest of three siblings, who can't always go to school because he doesn't have shoes and must help sell food on the street to make money for his family.

Peru is beautiful country with a rich history. There are gifted artisans, skilled chefs and knowledgeable teachers who just need a hand up to help them fulfill their God-given abilities. However, families in Peru face a lot of problems as a result of poverty, including child labor, child malnutrition and a high number of children who die in the winter months. Because of poor living conditions, they face significant medical issues and lack access to clean water.

When you travel to Peru with Buckner, you will meet people like Rosa, Maria, George and Luis. You will serve them and pray for them. You'll remember their names long after you return home because of the mark they'll leave on your hearts. It's a ministry unlike any other.

In Peru, we provide: 

Foster/kinship care

In May of 2007, Buckner Peru and El Programa Integral Nacional para el Bienestar Familiar signed an agreement to develop the first foster care program in Peru. On March 10, 2008, Buckner Peru made history when officials from the Ministry of Women and Social Development and Buckner placed eight Peruvian children into the country’s first foster families. 

Claudia Leon, director of Buckner Peru, has continued to strengthen the relationship with INABIF and UNICEF, working with the government to secure the role of foster care in Peru’s child welfare system and working to make foster care a part of public policy. Because of the hard work of Buckner staff, Peru wrote foster care into its law at the end of 2013, a historic landmark for the child welfare system of Peru.

Buckner Family Hope Center® programs

Buckner operates three Family Hope Centers in Peru: Two in Pamplona, an extremely impoverished community in the capital city of Lima, and one in Cusco. Vulnerable children and fragile families receive not only immediate help for daily needs but also long-term training and counseling to help them achieve self-sufficiency and relief from poverty.

The Family Hope Centers are child-centered, family-focused places where families to go find hope, support and empowerment. The key to the Family Hope Center's success lies in the combination of effective programs and passionate people to help families experiencing poverty, family issues and lack of access to health services.

Basic food staples are distributed each month to needy families and purified water is provided for all clients of the center. 

Transition homes for women

Buckner began its Transition Home Program in Peru in 2008 to help young women aging out of orphan care to make the transition to independent living. There is a home in Lima and one in Cusco. Residents are enrolled in an academic, vocational or rehabilitation program. Services include case management, room and board, education, job training, tutoring and mentoring.

The girls at the transition homes often come from harsh, abusive environments. The structured home-like setting provided by Buckner Peru enables the girls to pursue educational and vocational goals as they study health care, cosmetology, business, tourism, fashion design and other subject. Because of their hard work and determination and the support of the local staff and volunteers, all the girls perform very well in school. The girls actively participate in church, community and school activities.