Tucked away in an obscure, isolated part of Cusco, Peru, is a little piece of heaven for girls who have known little peace in their young lives. No signs mark the location, only angels painted on the high walls protecting the residents designate the shelter.
Casa de Acogida Mantay (''Mother'' in the native language of Quechua) was founded in June, 2000, to help mothers ranging from 12 to 18 years old and their children find safety and respect. These girls are from abusive homes and are placed by the courts to help them learn to be good parents and productive citizens. Currently Mantay houses 11 mommas and 2 pregnant girls.
The girls attend local schools and learn self esteem, hygiene and parenting while at the shelter. Also, the girls are required to work at the shelter with cooking, laundry, housekeeping and in the office. By the time the girls reach the age of 17, they must select a specialty so that they can financially support themselves after leaving the shelter at age 18. They learn skills such as cosmetology and ''workshop''.
After graduating, many of the girls are hired by the workshop, which produces leather goods, like purses and bags, to be distributed and sold in shops around the world.
The babies are watched in the shelter's child care while the girls are at school. The babies sleep with their momma until the age of 5 years old.
When I learned about Mantay Shelter, several friends and I got busy making Peace Pals for me to deliver to Cusco on my up-coming trip to Peru. We made almost 50 dolls, as we didn't know how many residents lived there. As I counted out dolls for the babies, the director asked if we also would provide dolls for the residents, as they themselves were still children and we brought so many. Of course, we agreed!
A big ''Thank You'' to Adventure Life Travel Agency for leading us to Mantay! Going there and presenting the residents with Peace Pals was truly a blessing to me and a life-changing experience.
Jess is very explicit, professional and always there when i have a question
Carlotta Diaz
2 weeks ago
i have now booked five trips through Adventure Life, and each experience has been perfect from start to finish. The agents are outstanding at truly listening to what the client is searching for and making it happen impeccably. From the initial planning to the final trip execution, Adventure Life handled every aspect flawlessly. They are an amazing company, and I have recommended them to friends and family with always stellar results!
Sallie
2 weeks ago
Great job, everything was arranged well and guides and support staff were friendly and helpful. Good outfit.
Jeff Lovett
1 month ago
From the planning stage straight through the trip itself, Adventure life was on top of it all. Questions were answered completely, accommodations were better than expected. All fees and transportation was addressed. This is a very professional organization, you can book with confidence.
Eric Biddinger
1 month ago
Our 19 day personalized trip to Peru was amazing and memorable. The itinerary Adventure Life assembled provided us with a wonderful sampling of the country and culture - Arequipa, Colca Canyon, Cusco, Sacred Valley, Machu Picchu, Amazon rainforest, Paracas, and the Nazca Lines. Our guides were exceptional- informative, friendly, helpful, and service-centric. It was a trip of a lifetime.