Our partners in Chiclayo, Peru have been up to some exciting things, and as they share their successes and triumphs, I write this to pass along what’s been happening lately with our friends and partners at Latidos.

Not too long ago, Latidos launched a Book Creation Contest with local schools. The response from this has been amazing. Both primary and secondary students jumped in right away, full of ideas and energy. Tnd the Latidos team has been going around visiting them and handing out copies of Fanny’s Storybook to help spark ideas. Sharing this book is a simple but powerful way to spark creativity and remind kids that their stories matter as Fanny shared with us back at Share The Love this past April.

This all ties back to the bigger picture of the Crecer Project, which Heart-Links supported throughout 2023–2024. We’re getting the final reports soon, but even before that, the results speak for themselves. What’s really standing out is how much of this work is sticking. The kids and teachers aren’t just participating, they’re continuing the work on their own which is exactly the kind of long-term impact we strive for with dedication and intention.

Flor, who leads Latidos, shared how meaningful it’s been to reflect on everything that’s happened:

“As we look back, it’s incredible to see how many lives have been touched and transformed. This isn’t just about numbers—it’s about real people, and real stories.”

Another big highlight happened in early April, when Latidos was invited to be part of Festi CIX 2025 – “Letras sin Límites”, Chiclayo’s first official book fair. Held as part of the city’s anniversary celebrations, the fair brought together writers, publishers, artists and community leaders to celebrate reading and creativity. Latidos was an intergral part of contributing to cultural activities and was recognized both regionally and nationally for their work.

It’s a great reminder that this kind of grassroots, community-led work doesn’t just make a difference locally, ultimately it is all a part of a bigger conversation.

We’re so proud of Latidos, and continue to be so grateful to be able to support them. Watching them create spaces for young voices to be heard, and seeing how far this project has reached is a powerful reminder of why we continue in solidarity with Peru and international development.