Peru is one of the newest adoption programs newly implemented by MLJ Adoptions, International. Located in South America, the country is vastly rich in cultural diversity, beautiful landmarks, and beautiful geographic features.
Historically, Peruvian culture is the home to many ancient cultures, including Chico, Inca, and Andean civilizations,. Peru is known to have a long history of civilization, rooting back to the BCE’s (Before the Common Era), as a result it is also home to many historical landmarks as well. Machu Picchu, Piquillacta, Plaza de Armas, Archbishop’s Palace of Lima, and Cathedral of Lima are some of the architectural landmarks that adoptive parents can expect to explore during travel to Peru.
Geographically, Peru is located in the western part of the continent of South America with its capital, Lima, just off the Pacific Ocean. The country covers almost 500,000 miles, which is 14x the size of the state of Indiana, respectively. The Andes Mountains run along the Pacific Ocean and there are three different climates within the country of Peru: the coast, highlands of the mountains, and the jungle. The jungles of Peru make up approximately 60% of the country. Ethnically, Peru is inhabited by Amerindians, Spaniards, Africans, Europeans, and Asians representing the diverse ethnic groups who arrived in Peru during the waves of differentiating immigration periods.
If interested, prospective adoptive parents are always encouraged to learn more about the culture of the sending country they are adopting from and to be familiar with its history. This is a benefit to your adopted child and can help form a special bond between the parent and child.
Why Adopt from Peru?
Although there are many positive qualities and a rich history amongst the Peruvian culture, as with most countries there is also an orphan crisis of unparented children in need of homes and loving families.
Peru has been fighting corruption for decades. Amongst economic corruption, human rights violations and marginalization have severely impacted the quality of life amongst many Peruvians. Human trafficking and violence are still prevalent issues amongst the country, despite continued efforts to put an end to the humanitarian crisis the Peruvian people are victim to. Ultimately, Peru is a transit country for vulnerable men, women, and especially children to experience human trafficking. Gold mining, agricultural farming, and brick laying are some of the forced labors associated with human trafficking, along with sex slavery. Many children and adults are kidnapped from their homes or bribed into job offerings, allowing traffickers to exploit the most vulnerable.
Poverty is also prevalent in Peru, with an estimated 44% of rural areas experiencing little to no income. Overall, 54% of the country lives in poverty living on less than $2 per day. Children are severely impacted by this problem and approximately 570,000 children live in the streets due to abandonment and extreme poverty. Peruvian children are in dire need of forever families. If you are seeking to adopt from South America and are open to sibling groups, children with additional needs or older children (ages six and older), consider adoption from Peru.
If you are further interested in learning more about Peruvian Adoptions, Please contact us.
