On May 3rd, I will be running my first marathon at the Great Limerick Run!

While this is a huge milestone for me, I wanted to make it count for something beyond just crossing the finish line, so, I’m raising funds to sponsor a girl at the Sacred Valley Project, a charity doing incredible work supporting girls’ education in Peru.

The mission of the Sacred Valley Project (SVP) is to provide boarding and supplementary education for young women from remote Andean communities so that they can continue and complete their secondary education.

From 2014-2016, I had the privilege of teaching English in a school in the Sacred Valley and a number of girls being housed at SVP were my students. I saw first-hand their joy and determination to continue their secondary education. To take advantage of the opportunity they had been given by SVP that so many other girls in the Peru did not have. They were a pleasure to teach. Always smiling, polite and willing to work hard.

So please, help me raise some funds for this wonderful charity so that more girls can continue and complete their education!

As well as running the marathon, I will match the first €500 in donations!

Thank you,

James Kingston

Information on the Sacred Valley Project

The focus on a space meant for girls was founded on the unfortunate reality that only 4 in 10 indigenous Peruvian girls from rural areas in the Andes graduate from secondary school. While most communities in Peru have access to a primary school, girls in the rural Andes face significant challenges reaching the closest secondary school. Challenges include several hours of travel on foot, harsh weather conditions, and health and safety concerns for young women traveling alone. While many farming families will find a way to pay for their sons to receive an education, this opportunity is not often afforded to their daughters.

SVP achieves its mission by providing the following services for girls: a) A safe and nurturing space conducive to learning and growth, b) Academic Tutoring , c) Language transition tutoring for Quechua-speaking students entering Spanish- speaking schools, d) All schooling and indirect schooling fees such as school supplies, uniforms, books, and transportation, e) Extracurricular activities that reinforce self-confidence, self-esteem, empowerment, and promote local cultural values, f) Technical skills workshops to build each student’s capacity to reach economic independence upon graduation, g) Guidance in the search for post-secondary opportunities.

The Sacred Valley Project is intended to be more than just a living space. It is a place of community and growth, in which the girls learn to set goals and achieve them in a warm and positive environment. The direct beneficiaries of our program are the girls in the program. However SVP strives to equip the girls with skills that will ultimately affect their families, communities, and future children. We strive to ensure that on top of a degree and post-secondary opportunities, SVP girls have the skills to stand up for themselves, have a stronger voice in their communities and family negotiations and possess the ability to advocate for themselves and their children.

26.2 for Girls’ Education in Peru!

My First Marathon to Empower Peruvian Girls

Team Members