Deep in the Andes: A Promise We Keep - Our South American Project

Ric
Jun 11
4 min read

Students and teachers at Buenos Aires, Huanuco

In 2021, we founded Dear Future with a simple belief: if we want to change the world, we have to start with the children who are furthest away — furthest from access, opportunity, and often, hope.

As an immigrant from the land of the Inca, I knew that if Dear Future needed to learn how to do this work well, Peru would be our proving ground.

And it was.

From One School to a Growing Movement

Fernando Juarez at our First School - April 2022

What is an NGO? Non-Governmental Organization.

As a newly minted NGO or as we call a charity or nonprofit, we began with San Isidro de Visag, a remote school about an hour outside the capital city of Huánuco with 47 students. From that point forward, every school we reached has been further — geographically and economically — from the help they deserve.

Year after year, we’ve returned.

In March 2025, we reached 400 students across 10 schools and one orphanage — the incredible Casa del Buen Trato Hovde. All of them spread over more than 500 square miles in the Andes region of Huanuco. We delivered full school material kits, encouragement, and a reminder to every child that they matter.

March 2026: Expanding Hope

This coming year, we’re going further. We plan to increase our support by 10%, not to bring in more schools or more materials — per se — but to make room and invite more children.

We’ve learned that in the communities we serve, the decision to send a child to school is often weighed against painful economics. Many parents, especially those with multiple children, choose to keep at least one child at home — not because they don’t believe in education, or want it, but because they simply can’t afford the basics needed to send them.

By increasing our material support, we are helping schools welcome consistently absent students with open arms and the materials they need to succeed. We are empowering teachers to say to families:

“Yes, your child will be supported. Yes, there is a place for them here.”

This small but vital expansion removes a hidden barrier — the burden of expenses — and replaces it with dignity, access, and hope. It enables children to show up prepared from day one, and gives schools the tools to actively fight illiteracy, generational poverty, and the apathy that too often comes from being forgotten.

We're also thrilled to be expanding our reach to five new schools in the Cusco region, deep in the Andes — each one located 3 to 5 hours from the region's capital. These are the kinds of schools that inspired our mission in the first place: remote, resilient, and filled with potential.

In 2026, we aren’t just delivering supplies; we’re delivering empowerment, and opportunity — one student, one school, one future at a time.

📊 2026 Peru Budget Breakdown

Total [estimated] fundraising goal: $5,690.00

Why It Matters

In 2025, we supported 400 children across 10 remote schools and one orphanage in Huánuco, Peru. Our reach covered over schools tucked into highland communities like San Isidro de Visag, San Juan de la Libertad, and Puca Puca — places where access is difficult and resources are scarce.

The estimated total cost to supply these schools in 2026 is $5,690.00, with individual school budgets ranging from $170.00 for Chochorihuay to $880.00 for San Juan de la Libertad — not because one school matters more, but because each school's size and student count is different. Even a few hundred dollars at this scale can transform the entire learning year for dozens of children.

For example:

$320.00 can equip San Francisco de Colcha in Cusco, a new region we’ve added to our outreach for 2026.
$420.00 can ensure Buenos Aires School gets the basics — pencils, notebooks, crayons — to children whose families would otherwise send them to school empty-handed.
A modest $360.00 can make sure that the Casa del Buen Trato Hovde orphanage can save on supplies and continue serving children affected by violence and neglect, giving them both tools for learning and a sense of being seen.

This level of impact only happens because of intentional, thoughtful giving — and it goes far beyond numbers. Each dollar becomes a pencil in a child’s hand, a notebook on their desk, and a belief in their future.

We know the need. We know the costs. And with your help, we’ll meet them again in 2026 — growing our reach and deepening our promise to children who deserve a chance.