Project Launch:

Loma Negra is a rural community in northern Peru that is comprised mostly of houses, a school, and a health post. It is a community still very much in the early stages of development having recently received electricity and still waiting for modern plumbing. In this context the establishment of The Kids’ Zone, a library/recreation center for youth and their parents, was a major development. The center offers formal and informal reading programs along with time for kids to make arts and crafts and to play games. Illiteracy is a problem in Loma Negra, and the library reading program and free reading time allows the kids and parents opportunities to learn through reading and to learn that reading can be fun. The Kids' Zone meets various needs in the community and has proven to be a valuable asset to a community that is still developing.