Educators Empower Communities in Amazonas Through Transformative Leadership

Enseña Perú

Think Human Foundation

Mission & History

Enseña Perú is devoted to transforming education in Peru by cultivating collective leadership aimed at creating a movement of changemakers. Our mission focuses on ensuring every child and young person in Peru receives high-quality, purpose-driven education, regardless of their socio-economic background or personal circumstances. Established in 2009, Enseña Perú is a member of the global Teach For All network. Over the past 15 years, we have dedicated our efforts to enhancing the Peruvian education system by identifying and nurturing teachers, school leaders, and other educational stakeholders who make a tangible impact in classrooms and underserved communities nationwide.
 
Our programs have positively affected thousands of students, educators, and school principals, promoting a more equitable and transformative educational landscape. We adopt a holistic strategy for educational reform by creating networks and coalitions among key educational stakeholders, identifying and developing the talent and leadership among committed individuals, and incubating as well as accelerating innovative, scalable educational solutions. We firmly believe in education’s power to change lives and in the significance of collaborative leadership networks that drive sustainable, systemic changes, enhancing access, quality, and equity in education throughout Peru.
 
Peru, rich in cultural and geographical diversity, struggles with equitable education access, especially in rural and low-income areas. According to the 2023 Educational Census by MINEDU, 9,412,823 students are in Basic Education, with 90% in Regular Basic Education.
 
However, educational quality disparities persist due to geographical isolation, inadequate infrastructure, and limited tech access. Rural schools face exacerbated challenges with scarce internet, outdated materials, and multigrade classrooms. Yet, there is promise in innovative programs, community engagement, and public-private collaborations. Initiatives in leadership, teacher training, and student empowerment are crucial to overcoming these barriers. Enseña Perú leads efforts to address these issues through collective leadership and creative educational solutions, aiming to bridge gaps by training educators, empowering leaders, and fostering networks for sustainable change.

The Need

Education in the Amazonas region faces significant challenges that hinder the learning and development of many students. In Imaza, out of 6,020 students enrolled in secondary school for 2025, only one in ten girls will complete their education. This alarming statistic highlights a high dropout rate among Awajún girls due to cultural, socio-emotional, and structural barriers. Furthermore, in Luya, just 13% of primary school students attain a satisfactory level in reading comprehension, a situation exacerbated by the community’s lack of dedicated reading spaces that could cultivate reading habits among children.
 
At the teacher level, the deficiency of support and training is glaring. In 2024, a mere 45% of schools in Amazonas received visits from UGEL specialists for pedagogical support, which directly affects the quality of education provided and hampers teachers’ ability to meet the region’s needs with an intercultural approach. Addressing these issues requires more than isolated efforts; it necessitates the creation of collaborative networks involving teachers, families, authorities, and communities. Local stakeholders must lead the transformation with context-sensitive solutions. Strengthening teacher and community leadership is crucial to reducing dropout rates, enhancing the quality of learning, and bridging educational gaps in the region.
 

The Project We Fund

Enseña Perú takes a proactive approach in tackling the educational challenges in the Amazonas region by implementing programs that empower educators and communities to spearhead transformative changes. Through the Leadership Program (PDL), teachers are encouraged to lead educational innovation and cultivate leadership within their communities. One such inspiring educator is Milagros Chusho from I.E. Chujai Anag Ukumchan in the Wawaim community. She led the Tseje Handicrafts Project to preserve traditional craftsmanship and cultural identity. This initiative encourages students to engage in critical thinking and decision-making while fostering inclusivity through learning Peruvian Sign Language and promoting sustainability with reusable sanitary towels. Similarly, Juan Omar Paniagua from I.E. 18135 José Antonio Encinas Franco in Luya developed the JARCI Initiative, integrating games, art, and science to enhance students’ creativity, autonomy, and alignment with Peru’s National Curriculum.
 
In addition to the Leadership Program, the ¡Qué Maestro! Program empowers teachers with innovative pedagogical strategies to elevate their professional skills and improve student learning outcomes. An example from the Luya community is the work of Reinilda Montenegro, who addressed the reading challenges of her second-grade class at IE N° 18116. By implementing strategies like Reading Corners, Dialogic Literary Gatherings, and Storytelling, she significantly enhanced her students’ reading comprehension and confidence. These strategies encourage family involvement and allow for adaptation to each child’s needs. Furthermore, the “We Read to Be Free” initiative exemplifies systemic change through collaboration, uniting district mayors and regional education authorities to address the literacy crisis in Luya with support from Enseña Perú. These efforts collectively aim to reduce dropout rates, improve learning quality, and close educational gaps in Amazonas.
 

The Result

By 2030, the goal is for 7 out of 10 students up to 4th grade in Luya to achieve a satisfactory reading level.
To achieve this, concrete actions are already in motion:
● 2 community libraries have been established, increasing access to books.
● Classroom reading corners have been implemented to foster daily reading habits.
● Community murals have been created to promote literacy awareness.
 
This initiative transforms reading into a collective responsibility, ensuring sustainable impact by engaging students, families, and local leaders in a movement for educational change.

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