• It is the desire of Manos Amigas to give back to our communities through our various charitable efforts, thus we have designated 20% of our profits to such activities.  In 2002 we created the Manos Amigas Civil Association which gives us a legal backing for training, and the various other social activities Manos Amigas conducts.

Currently Manos Amigas works in three areas:

• Capacity-building training

Through Manos Amigas del Peru, our artisans receive basic, intermediate, and advanced training in pricing their products competitively, effective administration of a business, accounting, production, marketing, packing, market trends, technical courses, and advice.

These trainings are key to our artisans. While 79% of our artisans sell to other clients or exporters in addition to Manos Amigas, few of them receive capacity building trainings from these clients. For 61% of our artisans, Manos Amigas is their only source for these trainings.

Every two years, we host a training in Lima for all of our artisans across Peru. We provide the transportation and housing for the artisans who must travel to Lima for the training, and hold a special day of training focused solely on their development needs. On an ongoing basis, we travel to areas where we have a concentration of artisans and bring trainings to them.

• Educational fees

Today, our civil association provides funding to help pay for university education for some of the children of artisans. The artisans would not be able to afford this higher education, which gives a brighter future for these young men and women. Currently we are paying university studies for three children of artisans, one from Lurin, in Southern Lima, one from Huancayo, and the third in Cuzco. These students are studying administration to be able to help their families out in making their family business more effective.

• Meal program

The project started in 1990 as part of the outreach of our church. Manos Amigas has supported the project since its creation in 1991.

THE PURPUSE OF THE PROJECT IS …

To decrease the amount of malnutrition cases among the young people of Chorrillos, a district in the South of Lima

To spread the salvation message among children and young people.

Expected Results

• Better nutrition rates in poor areas of Chorrillos.
• Better family relationships.
• New families give their hearts to Jesus.

Activities

• We provide a nutritious breakfast to about 300 children from ages 2 to 16.
• We hold weekly meetings near their homes, to provide spiritual meals.
• We have quarterly meetings at the Church.
• We train “Responsible parents” on how to provide nutritious meals at a low cost.
• We hold First aid workshops.