From Street Kids to Shop Owners

Angelica and Hugo have become the first two young people to benefit from The Colour of Hope’s microcredit scheme. Having grown up on the streets, sniffing glue and stealing to survive, these two young people have truly fought to get where they are today.

Desperate to improve the quality of life for their young families, they have been two of our most determined participants, putting in a great deal of effort to get their grocery shops up and running. They’ve had to work into the small hours of the morning more than once over the last few weeks, shifting copious amounts of sand and cement up the mountainside. But the shops are definitely coming into shape now, with the floors down, shelving up and the first round of goods purchased.

Having their own source of income will not only provide Angelica and Hugo more dignified employment, but will also mean improved access to education and healthcare, better living conditions and a healthier diet for their children. Many thanks to Jess and Rosa Batten-Stevens and Topsham Friends Circle, Hugo and Angelica’s sponsors, for helping make this dream a reality. Photos of the shops coming soon!

Bowling with Colchester Sixth Form College

Earlier this month, members of Colchester Sixth Form College, UK, arrived in Peru to work at a school for special-needs children. During their stay they paid The Colour of Hope a visit too and were able to meet some of the young people we're working with. It made for an interesting cultural and social exchange, given that both groups were around the same age and at the same stage of life, thinking about job opportunities or further education.

After chatting at the training centre, we took everyone bowling, thanks to the generosity of one of our volunteers, Will Gale, and Kevin Murphy, who accompanied the sixth-formers. This was an excellent activity for raising our young people's self-confidence and everyone enjoyed the outing very much.