Expanding into New Heights
- 19 hours ago
- 3 min read
PERU
CWM is excited to partner with Fr. Matteo once again to expand on the IEP Santa Maria de Guadalupe school project. With the help of CWM donors, Fr. Matteo will break ground on a new building that will include two laboratories and one multipurpose classroom. These facilities are essential for meeting Ministry of Education requirements and will enable the school to expand the curriculum to offer vocational training programs for students who cannot pursue a university education. Currently, the school serves 325 students in 14 classrooms but lacks restrooms and critical common spaces such as administrative offices, archives, and support rooms. This project represents a vital step toward compliance with national standards and toward offering broader educational opportunities for underserved youth.
PROJECT UPDATES
Three Stories of Hope Rise in Lima June 2026
In just five months, the school has completed the first phase of its new building in La Perla—a small yet challenging neighborhood in Lima, Peru. With all three stories now fully constructed, students can look forward with hope and faith to entering a blessed new space at the start of the next school year.
PROJECT BUILT IN 2024/2025
Help build a School for high-quality education
In Peru’s District of La Perla – Callao, I.E.P. Santa María school (a parish educational center) has provided children with a Catholic education for 9 years. Santa María currently serves 340 poor children and families from the neighborhood, addressing social exclusion.
Streets of La Perla, El Callao, where adolescents face the challenges of limited schooling and the threats posed by criminal gangs involved in drug trade, robbery, and extortion.
PROJECT OVERVIEW
Catholic World Mission and our generous supporters are partnering with Father Matteo to construct the new Santa Maria school building and connecting chapel.
The current school lacks essential spaces like a school office and laboratories, hindering student capacity, and not meeting Ministry of Education standards.
With the right school building and chapel, the educators of Santa María school will be equipped to continue the necessary work of providing a quality education centered on prayer, sacraments, and moral teachings. Students participate in daily and weekly prayer sessions, catechesis, and Saturday Mass. Priests also teach secular subjects to foster Christian culture and personal growth.
The region of La Perla, Callao faces poverty, fragile families, and a high number of abandoned or abused children. Many adolescents lack schooling and are vulnerable to criminal gangs involved in drug trade, robbery, and extortion.
Education is essential in breaking this cycle of poverty..
PROJECT UPDATES
This project is divided into multiple phases. Please check back frequently to see project updates!
PHASE 2: Ongoing
May 2025
Goals: Improving the property slope for safety,and creating a retention wall for the future construction of the chapel for the school.
PHASE 1: Complete May 2025
Goals: This phase is dedicated to the completion and preparation of the existing classrooms. The second floor classrooms are currently lacking doors, windows, and lighting. This phase will also initiate the electrical system, ensure staircase safety, and finalize the cement structure on the third floor to prevent the steel from salt damage from the ocean.
Construction is Under Way March 2025
I.E.P. Santa María School Learning in His Light Many children in La Perla, Callao, Perú, struggle to find God amid the chaos and violence that surround them. When their eyes are opened through the care and instruction of their teachers at the I.E.P. Santa María School, they see His face. As we learn in 1 Kings, “The Lord intends to dwell in the dark cloud” so that He may bring light (8:12). With your support, this school will continue to illuminate a path out of poverty for its students. With your help, construction is under way to improve the school building.
BEFORE
PROGRESS
Site Visits by CWM and Supporters:
Catholic World Mission loves it when supporters visit our projects to see the impact that they are delivering!
Our very own CWM staff member, Maria Yactayo, along with her family, visited the school to meet with Father Matteo and the school staff. During her visit, she engaged with the students of the new school, spoke in every elementary classroom, and witnessed firsthand the transformative impact of donor contributions.
May 2025
Ignacio Taboada has been a Catholic World Mission supporter for many years. Recently, he had the opportunity to visit a Catholic World Mission school project in Lima, Peru. Click here to read a reflection from his trip.
Tools to Promote the Santa María School Project
If you are interested in supporting this effort, please contact Blake Lowrey at BLowrey@catholicworldmission.org
Get Involved with the Catholic World Mission Family
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