Mentor Interview: Peru

Mentor Patty of Krochet Kids Peru Patty is the very first mentor we brought on in Peru and she has done an amazing job communicating the care and intent of our programs to the beneficiaries we work alongside. We rely heavily on local leadership to help us both understand how our work can truly have the most effective impact within new communities, as well as to communicate the significance of the program. Below is the full-length interview we did with Patty for our 2012 Annual Report. She is amazing and after reading this you'll know why. VIEW & DOWNLOAD A COPY OF OUR MOST RECENT ANNUAL REPORT HERE - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Mentor: Patty Hastahuaman What interested you in the mentor position at Krochet Kids Peru? I found the program very interesting. It’s a program that offers support to people in a better way than I had ever seen before in a NGO. This work gives me the opportunity to not only add value to their lives, but also to be a part of the growth in their lives. I love that I will be in their lives consistently for 3-5 years so I can truly see their lives transformed. What excites you about your current position? Above all, I work here because I love people and everything that is good for them. People are my passion. I believe it is through individual investment that I can reach their hearts and make positive change. I feel like a person who gets to offer water to a plant and watch it grow. What is something you didn’t expect in your role? Something unexpected and interesting to me is that almost an entire community can experience the same misfortune, such as the community that the ladies of Krochet Kids Peru live in. There are literally hundreds in the same situation. Almost every woman has been abandoned by her parents. How does mentorship facilitate change? What I get to do for people is to listen and then speak truth into their hearts. In reality, they just need someone to love them, care for them, and encourage them, so they can realize their own potential. Could you share with us a specific story of change for one of your mentees? An example of growth in these 2 months is Evelyn Monica. She is a lady who never knew her father because she was abandoned, and her uncle abused her from a young age. This made her very fearful, full of distrust and hatred in her heart for what had happened in her life. This had a large effect on her marriage and on the way she treated her kids. She entered into the program at KKP like this, and by offering her someone to listen to her, understand her, and offer restoration for her heart. She has experienced incredible change in her life. She is now full of hope and she comes to work each day with a light on her face. She has learned to forgive her father, which has provided freedom for her and her family. Her bitterness has literally disappeared. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -