A heart-warming experience of human solidarity

A look back at the visit of Grégory Acke, founder of the La Maison de l'Alpaga brand, to the Crèches d'Arequipa association.

Concerned by the social context and the difficulties faced by certain families in Peru, Grégory Acke had been wanting to help families, and especially children, in the poorest regions of Peru for several years. After much research, the choice fell on the Crèche d'Arequipa association. A Franco-Peruvian association with 2 crèches (Llosa and Lara in Peru) helping children and families in need. 

Crèches d'Arequipa helps around 300 children aged 0 to 6, as well as :

Nutrition

- From 0 to 6 years: Meals and snacks are served every day

- Nutrition training for families

Health

- Hygiene training for families

- Creation of a dental practice in 1995

- Presence of a psychologist since 2018

Education / Gender equality

- Educational stimulation in nursery classes

- Creation of primary school classes to welcome children after nursery school

- Educational and psychological support

- For women: moral and material support - development of their autonomy

The economy

- Creation of jobs for educators and teachers

- Peruvian government to take over some teaching posts

- Establishment of micro-credits

In November 2022, we signed our partnership agreement with the Association Crèche d'Arequipa in the form of :

1 item purchased on our website www.lamaisondelalpaga.com = 1 school day offered for a child of the association. 

It was during his trip to Peru in February 2024 that Grégory Acke went to meet the members of the association, visiting the association's 2 crèches. And what can we say about the welcome he received on his arrival, with dozens of families and children singing and dancing to celebrate his arrival. A touching, heart-warming welcome. A dance performance, banners, a tour of the premises, meetings with the children, parents, nursery directors and staff, as well as the president of the association in Peru - everything had been organized down to the last detail. It was a magical and moving moment, as the founder of the La Maison de l'Alpaga brand described it. 

The donation made in early 2024 amounted to €3,465. 

This financial aid was used to help renovate the association's buildings and finance the children's schooling (purchase of supplies, equipment, etc.). It should be noted that the French government only covers the teachers' salaries. The rest is paid directly by the association: rent, food, supplies, on-site staff ....

More than just a meeting, it was a real experience for Grégory during his visit. He was able to talk to members of the association, as well as to mothers who explained that for them, the association is indispensable, as the staff look after the children every day from 8am to 5pm while they go to work. Almost all the mothers are single parents. Some have to leave their infants for just a few days to go back to work and earn money.  Without the crèches, they would have to work with their children, who would be neither educated nor cared for, as is all too common in Peru. 

Some of the mothers have been hired by the association as cleaners or canteen workers, as the association also creates jobs. 

In conclusion, this visit made us realize how important it is to help an association like the one we are supporting today, which is reliable and for which we know where the donation is going.

"This visit to the Crèches not only moved me and convinced me that what we were doing was both obvious and necessary, but I'm even more motivated to talk about the Association around me so that other people will make donations, and for our part we're going to do everything we can to give more in the years to come." - Grégory ACKE, founder of the LA MAISON DE L'ALPAGA brand

To make a donation to the association, visit www.crechedarequipa.com