Youth Profiles

young man from Huayllabamba, Paucartambo, 2 hours from Cusco City.

He is still studying Grade 3 of secondary education outside of Cusco.

When he finishes his secondary education, he wants to be tour guide. Thus, he wants to learn English and is coming on Wednesdays to learn and practice English with Casa del Maestro.

Casa del Maestro connects youth with job opportunities so that young people can earn money while still studying. For now, Abraham is part of gardening team in his free times. With the money he earns he can buy school supplies and his school uniform.

Jusmiel, Josh for short, is a young man who dreams of being a lawyer and is committed to this dream. He is studying at a preparatory academy in order to take the national university’s entrance exam. The competition is strong. 1000+ students take the exam in hopes of earning one of the 20 spaces available for the law program; sometimes young people must try for 1-3 years. Josh has been trying for two years, having taken the exam about six times. Besides the public university, which is free, there are many private universities that have extremely high tuition fees. The high costs makes it inaccessible for many Cusco youth despite the significantly lower competition and fewer requirements.

Josh is part of a gardening team, working with Abraham, in his free times. While he is preparing to enter the university, he is earning money that helps with his daily expenses of food and transportation.

Casa del Maestro is helping him prepare mentally and emotionally for the exam. We have talked to him about text anxiety which he seems to have. And, we have given him better study strategies. He is also attending English practice classes on Wednesday evenings.

Vilma is from the jungle of Cusco state, a village called Pilcopata, which is 8 hours by bus. She wants to be a nurse. Right now she is looking at different options to study, whether she will attend a private institute or will apply for Beca 18 (a scholarship offered by the Peruvian government).

For now she lives with her aunt in Cusco city and works part time at The Meeting Place (a restaurant run by missionaries in order to reach the tourists). Vilma is happy in the job. She works with Clariza, the kitchen manager, who is from the same province. Vilma is learning how to prepare American foods like waffles. They both enjoy the family-like work environment.

While she is deciding where and what to study, she wants to learn English and is coming on Wednesdays to learn and practice English with Casa del Maestro.

We are so happy to be a coach for them and see them succeed when for the first time these very capable youth are given a chance to shine with a little help. They are smiling, happy, and dedicated in these new opportunities.