In the remote northern Amazon of Peru, over 3,000 deaf children face a heartbreaking reality. Without access to education in their own language—Peruvian Sign Language (LSP)—most are hidden away to work in fields or beg on streets. Many experience violence and exploitation. For indigenous deaf children in rural communities, the risk of trafficking is devastatingly high.
But there is hope.
The Escuelita para Sordos: From Isolation to Integration
Peace and Hope’s (Paz y Esperanza’s) School for Deaf Children in Nueva Cajamarca is proving that with the right support, deaf children can thrive. This pioneering school provides free education in LSP, while teaching families sign language and building a supportive deaf community.
The impact is profound:
- Children who once had no educational future now advance through grade levels
- Families learn to communicate with their deaf children for the first time
- A growing community of deaf youth discovers their potential and dreams
Why This Matters Now
Peru has over 532,000 people with hearing disabilities, yet the entire country has only one state school for deaf children. In San Martín region alone, an estimated 10,000 deaf people, including 3,000 children, have virtually no educational options.
The Escuelita para Sordos isn’t just a school—it’s a pilot program designed to demonstrate what’s possible when deaf children receive quality education. The goal is to show Peru’s Ministry of Education that this model works, paving the way for state-funded schools throughout the country.
Your Partnership Makes the Difference
Increased political instability has slowed progress with the state education system, but the work continues. Every day this school operates, more children discover they can learn, dream, and contribute to their communities in spectacular ways.
The school currently operates with just two part-time staff members—a director/head teacher and a teaching assistant. They’re stretched thin, but their impact is undeniable.
If you know of a church group, a business or others that would want to help strengthen the local team, please contact Jon Raber to help us initiate conversation with potential additional partners for the deaf school. We urgently need to increase the annual budget by $9,100 for an additional staff member, in order to provide:
- More individualized attention for each of the 35 students
- Specialized support for children with additional learning needs
- Greater stability and sustainability for the program
- Relief for the current team to prevent burnout and expand their impact
A Future Where Every Deaf Child Thrives
This isn’t charity, it’s justice. It’s recognizing that deaf children, especially those who are indigenous and rural, deserve the same opportunities as any child. Made in the image of God, we intervene on their behalf, and in doing so we bear witness to God’s restoration. Your partnership helps break cycles of poverty, exploitation, and isolation that have trapped generations.
The children in Nueva Cajamarca are proving that deaf youth can achieve exceptional goals and contribute to their communities in remarkable ways. They just need the chance. Click here to help make this a reality.
*The Escuelita para Sordos is run by Paz y Esperanza in partnership with Brownson Presbyterian Church, Lombard Mennonite Church, First Presbyterian Church, First Lutheran Church and other committed allies working together for justice and hope.
