I am Siobhan Dempsey of Bridport, Dorset. In September I will be embarking on a three month volunteer placement in Peru. I am a 24 year old graduate taking time out before returning to study a Masters in Social Work to spend time working with an organisation called Kiya Survivors where I will be working alongside local staff in the Rainbow Centre – their school in the Andes – teaching basic education, running art and drama workshops, helping with physiotherapy & music therapy and generally supporting the children in any way I can. I am funding the cost of the placement and flights myself. The primary purpose of this article to ask for donations of items greatly in need by the centre. Also to raise awareness of Kiya; the work they do, to introduce you to the idea of long term sponsorship and support for their ongoing and expanding work in Peru, as well as to get assistance or donations of extra items associated with living in Peru – for myself and for the centres.

About Peru

Children continue to be the most vulnerable and unprotected citizens in Peru. Of the 3.8 million people living in extreme poverty, 2.1 million are children. Of the total 10.2 million under-18 population, more than 6.5 million live below the poverty line.
Although a majority of children are enrolled in primary school, many never learn basic skills and, without basic literacy, almost a quarter of them drop out before the fifth grade. (UNICEF/Netaid.org)

Provision for children with special educational needs is virtually non existent. Only 0.81% of the state budget is put into special education. Children with disabilities are also often targeted for abuse is all its forms. Therefore the work carried out by Kiya Survivors offers them an opportunity to lead a 'normal' life and to be accepted in a caring and safe environment.

What do Kiya Survivors do?

Established in 1998 to help survivors of the El Niño phenomenon, Kiya Survivors is directed by the founder, Suzy Butler.
Suzy was just 21 when she founded Kiya Survivors and was driven by her passion for helping underprivileged children. Having worked with street children and other children suffering the effects of poverty and social dislocation throughout South America, she has extensive experience making a real difference to young people's lives.
Kiya Survivors run two educational centres and rehabilitation centres catering to abandoned, abused and special needs children in Peru. The main centre 'Rainbow Centre' is based in Urabumba, in the sacred valley close to Cuzco. The second is in Mama Cocha which is in the north of the country in the town of Los Organos near Mancora. Kiya also offers support to young and violated women and families living in severe poverty.
Kiya aims to offer special-needs children throughout Peru a proper education and the love and support they deserve
Until the Rainbow Centre's completion, the only provision for special-needs children in Urubamba was a single room with no specialist facilities. The conditions in which they learned were totally inadequate. This was also true of Los Organos and Mama Cocha is also the first of its kind in the area.
Today, Kiya provides a basic education, theatre, art and music therapy. A physiotherapist and speech therapist work regularly with the children. Kiya also runs a psychology facility to help children and their families identify their learning needs.
All the staff at Kiya Survivors are Peruvian apart from the volunteer co-ordinators and the volunteers themselves. Kiya employs a local social worker, who works directly with families, encouraging parents to provide appropriate care for their own children and assisting them in returning to work. The social worker also supervises re-housing and back-to-work programmes.
Aside from offering the much needed education and therapy, Kiya also provides the children with food and medical treatment including anti-parasite programs, blood tests, medical expenses (including operations) and dental treatment.

About Siobhan

I have worked with children in a variety of settings. For two successive summers during university I worked as a Play Worker for Dorset Youth association and then Portsmouth City Council. Upon leaving university I worked for 6 months as an Activity Instructor at a residential education and adventure centre near Weymouth where I gained an NVQ in Activity Leadership as well as comprehensive training in Child Welfare and First Aid. Whilst at there I became proficient in the delivery of numerous activities to groups of up to 12 children. I also received the Good Job Award in my first month of employment for noteworthy performances in my work. I then worked for a further 6 months as a Teaching Assistant at a secondary school, working alongside teachers in the classroom supporting pupils with special educational needs and other educational barriers, I was also responsible for a small literacy group who, during the 6 months I spent working with them improved dramatically, which was one of my proudest achievements. Alongside this I worked two sessions a week at the local Youth Centre in Bridport working directly with young people attending Club and the Youth Café.
I spent last summer travelling around South East Asia; whilst I was away I dedicated a month of my time to volunteering. I taught English as part of the Education Outreach Programme run through the Tsunami Volunteer Centre – a not for profit, Thai led NGO set up to assist with the rebuilding of areas worst affected by the Tsunami. The emphasis of our English lessons was on learning through play and we taught children as young as 4 basic English words and phrases. This was a wonderful experience and the enthusiasm and excitement of the children we worked with was immense!

I had secured a job abroad for the winter season and returned to the UK in September, after a brief stint back home I jetted off to snowy Lapland in November to spend the festive season working as an English speaking Elf for Santa – and a company which takes people on mini breaks to visit Santa in his homeland! This was one of the most amazing experiences of my life. I was convinced after meeting Joulupokki (Father Christmas in Finnish) himself! The magical atmosphere of Finland, the scenery and the Northern Lights coupled with my amazing job as an Elf was just fantastic. I had the most magical time imaginable.

When I returned once more to the UK I worked as a live in care worker for a young lady with cerebral palsy. The work was hard, but rewarding. It was my job to enable her to live an independent lifestyle by providing her with the care and assistance she needed to carry out every day tasks. After this I worked on temporary assignments as a teaching assistant in South London, the idea being that I find my fortune and save money to go away travelling again. However, the cost of living in London outweighed the amount of money I was bringing in and I sadly had to bid farewell to the big smoke and come back to Dorset. I am now staying with my family and saving money for my trip. It was when I returned to Dorset that I finally decided to take the plunge and devote my time and money to working with children with learning difficulties in Peru which will be followed by a further 3 months to independently explore some of South America. One of the reasons I have chosen to work with Kiya, is because I hope it will be beneficial to my career, as I wish to become a Social Worker.

I applied, and was accepted to University to commence a Masters in Social Work this September. However, I decided to decline as I wish to broaden my horizons a little bit more before committing to a two year course followed by a career in Social Work.
It is my intention to use this qualification, (once I have gained it!) to work with children, potentially branching into education welfare. I hope one day to work abroad for an organisation such as VSO or UNICEF, applying my skills to projects in underdeveloped countries.

How you can help

I am looking for donations of the following to take with me for the centre when I leave in September:

For my part, I have met the cost of the flights, injections, insurance and placement fee through my own funding, as well as my living costs whilst on the placement. This has been a very costly and I am looking for support with donations for myself in terms of decent quality waterproofs, 4 season, medical kit and walking boots – if someone was upgrading their kit then I would ask that they consider donating their old kit to me. I will no doubt leave it in Peru and will ensure that it goes to benefit someone on the project.

What I am also hoping, is to raise awareness of the plight of Kiya and the children in Peru and to encourage long term sponsorship for a sustainable future for these children.
If you wish to help those at Kiya, and would like to know more about donations, long term help for Kiya, or volunteering yourself please read on.
There are a number of ways in which you can contribute to helping the work carried out at Kiya; one off ‘virtual gifts’ which are very real to those at Kiya! Funding of building projects; sponsorship of a child; sponsorship of a teacher, or if you have enough toasters and kettles – by putting Kiya as a recipient of the generosity of your friends at your up coming wedding!
Wedding List
Kiya Survivors works closely with Wedding List Giving in order to help couples who are getting married to use their wedding day to give money to charity, alongside or instead of a traditional wedding list. Guests can make a donation online and leave you a good luck message!
 
You can register online on the Wedding List Giving Website: www.weddinglistgiving.com and set up your own wedding gift list page, selecting Kiya Survivors as your charity.

Virtual Gifts
Can’t think of that special gift for a loved ones Birthday or special occasion? A virtual gift is a great way to support Kiya and the children.

o A school desk £25 This desk will enable a child to comfortably sit and study in the classroom and make paying full attention to the teacher a less difficult task.
o 2 chickens £10 These chickens will not only lay nutritious eggs but will also help teach the children how to care for animals and collect eggs.
o One month’s petrol for the outreach van £50 The outreach vans enable us to offer support and therapy in the family homes and in more remote villages. They also allow us to collect and drop off children for school.
o Books £20 A selection of books will be chosen by our teachers who know what the children need and like most.
o Art materials £15 Teachers will select some art materials that are most needed so that the children can have fun being creative and also make products to sell in the shop.
o School uniforms £10 Two children most in need will be provided with a new school uniform. The children at Kiya centres love having a school uniform as it makes them feel accepted and part of a group.
o Bulbs for the vegetable garden £5 Bulbs will be purchased for the Rainbow Centre vegetable garden, which will not only provide vast amounts of healthy food but also teach children the important life skill of growing vegetables.
o Sports equipment £20 Teachers will choose the sports equipment most needed to provide fun games, exercise and help the physical development and rehabilitation of the children. 
o A month’s supply of vitamins for all the children in the centre £30 Vitamin tablets provide the vital nutrients to aid growth, development, health and concentration that many children’s diets lack.
A gift card will be sent out confirming that your gift has been donated to either the Rainbow Centre or Mama Cocha.
For more information please contact Suzy: info@kiyasuvivors.org or Alexis: alexis@kiyasuvivors.org

Long-term help
Kiya, are seeking long-term sponsors who would like to feel a real part of the work we do.
There are three options for long-term sponsorship:
o Ongoing sponsorship of an individual child
o Ongoing investment in project funding
o Ongoing sponsorship of a teacher
Whichever option you choose, your assistance makes a big difference to the lives of our children.
Your long-term sponsorship lets Kiya plan ahead, assuring the future of the centres and the children they serve.
Many children in Peru need your help. At Kiya Survivors, we choose your sponsored child from those most in need, children we work with every day.
As a long-term sponsor, you contribute to your child's health and happiness. Each child receives complete medical, educational and social assistance.
Every three months you will receive an update on the child you are supporting including a recent photograph and information on how your donation is helping. The children's progress, where your money is spent and its impact.
With a minimum donation of £5 per month paid by standing order, you can begin making a difference today. To sponsor a child through Kiya Survivors, contact us for a standing order form. Alternatively, go to our website www.kiyasurvivors.org and print the form from there.
Kiya has recently introduced a Sponsor a Teacher scheme with the hope of securing our staffs future. Nearly all employed staff in Peru are from the local community and Kiya hopes that by finding them sponsors we will eventually be able to leave the project in their hands.
We now have 30 members of staff between Peru and the UK and costs are forever growing.
Not only do we pay our Peruvian staff more than the average wage in their area but we also provide medical support when necessary. One of our staff members at The Rainbow Centre has recently been diagnosed with Osteoporosis and the state do not offer support, even though she has dedicated her life to supporting those in need in her community! So, Kiya has to help her, or she will go without treatment.
We feel that it is the least we can offer our dedicated team, our staff are like an extended family and we need to ensure that their futures are secure. Without them, the children’s futures are not secure!

Kiya Survivors
Suite 41
41-43 Portland Road
Hove
East Sussex
BN32DQ

To sponsor a child or make a regular donation, go to the website www.KiyaSurvivors.org, telephone 01273 721092, fax 01273 732875 or write to us at the above address.
For all other enquires: ukinfo@kiyasurvivors.org
I thank you greatly for your time and support
If you can help or would like any further information on Kiya or my trip you can contact me at vaughan326@hotmail.com
Useful Links and Information used in this article.
www.kiyasurvivors.org
http://www.netaid.org/world_schoolhouse/projects/past/peru-unicef/peru-unicef.html
http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/peru_1645.html
www.tsunamivolunteer.net

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