10/19/2026
Sagrada Familia (Sacred Family), located in the Ventanilla district of Lima, was founded in 2000 by Miguel Rodriguez Candia as an orphanage for over 800 children of the region. Today the shelter feeds, nurtures, and educates over 1,200 children aged birth to seventeen who have been abandoned, orphaned, or who have faced abusive or otherwise dangerous family environments. Many of these children come from the most destitute parts of Peru, such as the bursting settlements that sprawl into the hills along the city’s edges.
Sagrada Familia functions as a small village or community for the children in need. In addition to the facilities one would expect to see at a children’s home (dormitories, dining halls, sports courts, etc.), the community provides education for all children (preschool to high school), a trade school (bakery, carpentry, music and sewing), workshops, and a health clinic.
Working in partnership with inspired community leaders since 2001, Global Volunteers enables volunteer teams to help eradicate hunger, improve healthcare and enhance cognition on our Reaching Children’s Potential Program (RCP). Working with local medical personnel, teachers and managers at a safe harbor for babies and youth, volunteers support families with essential services in the barrios of Ventanilla.
Next week, our mission trip volunteers in Lima will support several ongoing projects including:
- Teaching conversational English
- Running Parent and Family workshops
- Conducting health focused home visits
- Classroom teaching and one-on-one tutoring
- Early childhood education and engagement
- Repair and maintenance of center facilities
Follow along on social media next week as we share with you our experience in Peru and shed some light on how amazing Global Volunteers is and how you may be able to volunteer yourself.
