Carmen Perez SolanoA Fellowship with Save The Children
Peru’s GDP is growing at 9%, but the shockwaves from South America's fastest-growing economy has not reached everyone. The poverty rate is around 40%, but it varies dramatically among regions. For example, in the Andean region, the rate reaches up to 70%. I live in Lima, where I am closer to the economic boom. However, I am never far from poverty, robbery and corruption. The Peruvian experience is very rich: the country is made up of very different cultures, people are in general very friendly and the food is delicious.
Save the Children in Peru works to promote and protect the rights of the children and the teenagers in this country. There are over 11 million of children here, 60% of which are poor and 24% are extremely poor. The Peruvian government is reacting very slowly to these children’s extremely difficult situations to guarantee their rights and to satisfy their needs. Save the Children has four main areas of work: education, protection, participation and emergencies. The team consists of 14 professionals.
I am collaborating to design the Human Resources Program of Save the Children in Peru, with a special focus on building a Performance Evaluation System and a Personal Development Plan for its employees. This Program will certainly help the organization achieve their objectives and the employees grow.
Although my work is strictly internal, I am also participating in meetings which allow me to learn about the social situation of Peru and Save the Children’s impact on it. The organization has a unique approach: children are asked to lead the initiatives and participate in the meetings with the adults!
