First…

Yanapaq Maki Kuna, which means “Helping Hands” in Quechua, was founded in August 2005 by Mario Diaz and Rosa Gutierrez, both members of the community of San Sebastian in Cusco, Peru.

Helping Hands Cusco is a NGOD (NGO for Developing) registered at Public Registries of Cusco. 

Mission

Helping Hands Cusco works to improve the living standards of underprivileged children, families and community members of poor areas in Cusco. Their main focus thereby is education, so far mainly for children. Apart from that, Helping Hands Cusco focuses on awareness raising, empowerment and community building. The local connection and interaction runs like a red line throughout their work. Helping Hands Cusco hopes that each child and each member of the community may feel supported, accepted and connected, by mutual helping hands.

Goals

Education: Provide qualitative and accessible education and after-school activities for underprivileged children from in and around Patron San Sebastian, through the school San Gabriel.

Community building/ awareness raising: Involve the community members closely with the work of San Gabriel and the other activities of Helping Hands Cusco so that a collective agreement about emancipatory and pedagogic values is stimulated.

Community building: Being visibly present as a counselor in and around the school and being disposable to support people in case of familial problems

Emancipation: Grouping and empowering vulnerable and underprivileged (single) mothers. They produce dolls, teddy bears, clothes, decorations and accessories made of baby alpaca wool.

Becoming economically self-sufficient

Ecology: Creating an ecological and durable consciousness by the members of Cusco poor areas.

Health: Providing an accessible and qualitative medical care for the underprivileged members of poor areas