Susi Prescott retraced the steps that took her from being a French teacher in Sydney, Australia to the Co-Director of the Elohim School in Arequipa, Peru.
After telling of her personal journey to Peru, Susi gave us a brief tour of Arequipa and its Spanish Colonial architecture. She then described the Elohim School, a private elementary school whose 250 students come from half-built homes in the dusty slums of Arequipa. The school's motto is "Empowerment through Education: Providing an alternative to teenage pregnancy and a life of crime." For the students the school is a refuge from life at home.
She described the school's humble beginnings and the growth made possible through funds raised internationally from Rotarians and others. Along with the expansion of the physical facility, the school has added classes teaching electrical skills (with funds donated by Sunrise Rotary), as well as sewing and cooking classes. One school photo showed the students reading books in the library that some Sunrise Rotarians helped set up on a 2013 mission with Dr. Anibal Pepper.
Susi also told of the relationship that now exists between the Elohim School and the Frankfort Elementary School, giving the students of the respective schools an opportunity to learn about the culture of the other. As noted in the Q&A session that followed Susi's presentation, it is satisfying for Club members to see the tangible results of an international project that we have supported. Susi's memoir, "Where Hummingbirds Dance," is available through Amazon.