Women leaders from Peru’s Zaña Valley had been invited to travel to Ecuador to participate in Tejiendo Saberes (Weaving Knowledge) ; a binational gathering of women leaders from Peru and Ecuador.

They had the invitation. They had the experience and knowledge to share. They were ready to go. They just needed a little help getting there.

So we asked our Heart-Links community to help.

And you did.

From July 24–26, the delegation travelled to Ecuador, where women from across different communities and areas of work came together to exchange experiences, learn from one another and strengthen their leadership.

Now they’re home, and Latidos has shared their report and photos with us.

We couldn’t wait to share a little of what happened with all of you.

So, what happened in Ecuador?

One of the things that struck us most while reading the report was just how much knowledge travelled to Ecuador with these women. This wasn’t a group going somewhere simply to receive training. They had plenty to teach, too.

Among the delegation were women working in community education and the defence of children’s rights; a community health promoter from Culpón; women representing sustainable agriculture and women’s contributions to local economic development; a representative from the Rural Libraries movement; women from Latidos; and a young environmental leader working to protect ecosystems and preserve ancestral knowledge.

Imagine all of that experience in one room and then add the experiences of the women they met in Ecuador. Ultimately, this is what this encuentro was all about. Women sharing what they know with each other. Women learning from one another. Women building relationships across borders and seeing themselve in one another, sharing solutions and information to care for their communities.

The gathering created space to strengthen women’s participation in social, productive and community life, promote equality of opportunity, exchange successful experiences and build new networks of collaboration.

According to Latidos, those three days resulted in more than an exchange between Peru and Ecuador. The women began building a network committed to sharing methodologies, strengthening their skills, creating alliances and working toward real change in their communities.

The really exciting part comes next

The value of this experience doesn’t end with the women who travelled.

They returned home with new knowledge, technical tools, participatory methodologies and new relationships and, importantly, a commitment to share them.

Latidos tells us that the women want to bring what they learned back into their communities and organizations, strengthen networks of cooperation, help form new women leaders and create more opportunities for women to participate and lead.

One sentence from their report captures this beautifully:

“Cada mujer que fortalece su liderazgo abre el camino para muchas más.”

Every woman who strengthens her leadership opens the way for many more.

That’s exactly the kind of ripple effect we hoped this project could create.

We did it and now we’re SO close to doubling the impact

When we first launched this campaign, we had one immediate goal: help make this opportunity possible for these women.

Together, we accomplished that.

The women went to Ecuador. They participated. They learned, shared and built new relationships. And now they’ve returned home ready to carry that experience into their communities.

But when the response to this campaign began growing, we introduced a $3,000 stretch goal with a really simple idea behind it: let’s double the impact.

Approximately half of what we raise supports this special women’s leadership initiative with Asociación Latidos.

The other half allows us to extend that generosity even further and create a second impact through Heart-Links’ work.

And our community has brought us incredibly close.

We’ve raised $2,779.30 of our $3,000 stretch goal.

So at this point, we aren’t asking you to help us send these women to Ecuador.

You already did that. ❤️

We’re asking our community to help us finish what we started and reach the second half of this goal — the part that allows this campaign to have twice the impact.

A thank-you that belongs to all of you

In the report we received after the gathering, Socorro Granda Santa María shared a beautiful reflection thanking Heart-Links – Lazos de Corazón Canada for helping cover the delegation’s expenses and supporting continued opportunities for women to develop the technical and methodological tools they can take back into their communities.

Heart-Links may be the name written in the report, but that thank-you belongs to all of you.

Every donation, every share, every person who told someone else about this campaign helped make this possible.

And we’re going to keep the campaign open until the end of August to see if, together, we can close that final $220.70.

If you’ve been meaning to contribute, now is a wonderful time. And if you’ve already given, sharing this update is another way to help us get there.

We started by asking our community to help a group of women get to Ecuador.

You did.

Now, let’s see if we can take that generosity just a little further.

$220.70 to go. Let’s double the impact. ❤️

Sigamos tejiendo saberes, construyendo oportunidades y multiplicando esperanza.

Let’s keep weaving knowledge, building opportunities and multiplying hope.

This month, we have the opportunity to support something truly special.

Twenty inspiring women leaders from the Zaña Valley in northern Peru have been invited to participate in “Tejiendo Saberes” (Weaving Knowledge); a unique leadership exchange taking place in Ecuador from July 23–27. During this five-day gathering, they will meet with women leaders from Ecuador to share experiences, strengthen leadership skills, exchange ideas, and build lasting partnerships dedicated to improving life in their communities.

These women are already making a difference.

They are community advocates, educators, and leaders who volunteer their time to support families, promote education, and inspire others. This exchange is an opportunity to invest in the people who are already creating change, equipping them with new knowledge, new relationships, and renewed confidence that they will bring back to their communities.

The impact won’t end when they return home.

The ideas shared, friendships formed, and lessons learned will continue to shape community initiatives, support women’s leadership, and strengthen rural development for years to come.

How You Can Help

Heart-Links has committed to supporting this incredible initiative, and we’re inviting you to be part of it.

Our fundraising goal is $1,500 CAD.

Every donation will have double the impact: 50% will support the Latidos Women’s Leadership Exchange in Ecuador, while the other 50% will strengthen Heart-Links’ ongoing community development programs throughout Peru.

The total cost of this exchange is approximately $6,000 CAD, and we’re inspired by the commitment of our partners at Latidos, who have already raised $2,500 soles (approx. $1,000 CAD) through their own local efforts. Now, we’re stepping alongside them with our own contribution to help make this life-changing experience possible for 20 women leaders.

If we surpass our initial goal and reach our $3,000 CAD stretch goal, we’ll continue sharing the funds equally between the leadership exchange and Heart-Links’ broader community development work.

Your gift doesn’t just support one project.

It invests in women, strengthens communities, and builds solidarity across borders.

Whether you give $25, $50, $100, or any amount that’s meaningful to you, you are investing in local leaders who are creating lasting change from within their own communities.

Together, We Can Make This Possible

This is more than a leadership exchange. It’s an opportunity for women to learn from one another across borders, return home with new ideas, and continue building stronger, more resilient communities.

We hope you’ll join us in making this journey possible.

🎯 Campaign Goal: $1,500 CAD

✨ Stretch Goal: $3,000 CAD

Every gift matters.

Every gift creates opportunity.

Every gift helps weave a stronger future.

A Note on Timing

With the exchange taking place July 23–27, we know the departure date is approaching quickly. Heart-Links has already committed to supporting this initiative and will be sending our pledged contribution so the women can participate without delay.

Because of this, donations received after the exchange has taken place will still make a meaningful difference. Funds raised throughout the remainder of the campaign will be used to reimburse our partners at Latidos for eligible expenses they have already covered, helping reduce the financial burden of making this important leadership exchange possible.

Our campaign will remain open until August 31, giving our community the opportunity to continue supporting this initiative while also strengthening Heart-Links’ ongoing community development work throughout Peru.

Thank you for believing in the power of local leadership and the incredible impact that begins when women come together to learn, lead, and lift one another up.

This gathering is an opportunity to come together as a community, celebrate the work accomplished over the past year, and look ahead to the future of our partnerships and projects in Peru and Canada.

AGM Details

Sunday, May 24, 2026
1:00 PM – 2:30 PM

📍 Innovation Works
201 King Street
London, Ontario

During the AGM, we will:

• Share updates from our partner organizations in Peru
• Reflect on this year’s projects and community impact
• Celebrate milestones and achievements
• Discuss future goals and initiatives
• Connect with members, supporters, volunteers, and friends of Heart-Links

At Heart-Links, our work is rooted in long-term relationships, grassroots leadership, and solidarity across borders. None of this would be possible without the incredible support of our community here in Canada and our inspiring partners in northern Peru.

Whether you’ve been involved with Heart-Links for years or are simply curious to learn more about our work, we would love to welcome you.

Thank you for being part of the Heart-Links family. We hope to see you there!

With gratitude,
Daniella Quinones
Executive Director
Heart-Links Lazos de Corazón

On March 20, 2026, in the city of Quevedo, Ecuador, one of those moments took place during the Inspirational Women of the Year ceremony, where Peruvian leader Flor Reaño Segura was recognized with the Latin American Women’s Leadership Award. It was a beautiful and well-deserved recognition, but more than that, it felt like a reflection of something much bigger than a single moment or achievement.

Because leadership like this is never about one day or one event, it is built over time through relationships, through showing up even when it’s difficult, and through a deep commitment to community. It lives in the everyday work that often goes unseen, in the spaces where trust is built slowly, and in the decisions that prioritize collective growth over individual recognition.

The ceremony, organized by the Escuela de Formación From Confinement to Empowerment, brought together women and leaders from across Ecuador and Peru, each carrying their own experiences and stories into the space. What stood out most was not just the recognition itself, but the shared understanding that the work behind it is ongoing and deeply rooted in local realities.

Flor’s leadership reflects that in a very real way. Her work has always been grounded in community, focused on creating opportunities for women to not only participate, but to lead in ways that feel meaningful and sustainable. It is the kind of leadership that doesn’t seek visibility, but instead creates it for others, opening doors and building pathways that didn’t exist before.

To see that kind of work recognized at an international level matters, not because of the spotlight, but because of what it affirms. It affirms that the quiet, consistent work happening within communities is valuable. It affirms that leadership shaped by care, by lived experience, and by a commitment to others is something worth honoring.

At Heart-Links, we often speak about walking in solidarity and learning from those who are already leading change within their own contexts, recognizing that they hold the knowledge, the relationships, and the understanding needed to create lasting impact. Moments like this feel closely connected to that way of working, as they highlight the importance of recognizing and uplifting leadership that is already deeply embedded in community.

This recognition is not an endpoint, but part of a much longer story that continues to unfold through the work itself, through the people involved, and through the impact that carries forward into communities. It is a reminder that while moments like these are important, what matters most is everything that comes before and everything that continues after.

We celebrate Flor Reaño Segura not only for this recognition, but for the work that led to it and the work that continues beyond it. Because when women lead with purpose, they create change that reaches far beyond a single moment, shaping communities in ways that last.

Join us for an unforgettable 3-week adventure in solidarity with communities in Zaña, Chiclayo and Cajamarca, in northern Peru. Meet the amazing people Heart-Links works with in each location and exchange views and experiences. Don’t miss this opportunity to learn about the challenges Peruvians face and their work to build community, pursue social justice and protect the environment.

This trip is right for you if you’d like to

• Experience a new culture and community
• Learn about Peru’s social and environmental issues
• Explore your own interests in creating change
• Join a growing movement of changemakers
• Volunteer with Heart-Links or your community

More Information about our annual Solidarity Trip can be found here.

How to Apply

• Contact info@heart-links.org if you would like to meet or ask questions before applying
• Complete our application form by December 31, 2019

Itinerary

7 nights in Cajamarca: We will fly from Lima to Cajamarca, in Peru’s Andes mountains. Our partner-hosts will share with us about Indigenous culture and social and environmental issues the region faces. Participants will devote four days to accompanying a program run by one of our partner agencies.

7 nights in Chiclayo: Following a breathtaking bus ride out of the mountains, we will arrive in the bustling city of Chiclayo. We will be exposed to the political, social and economic realities of life in the city, while spending time with one of the projects by our inspiring and progressive partner agencies.

7 nights in Zaña: The Zaña Valley is a slower-paced small town experience that will include visiting families and Heart-Links’ friends who have been our partners for more than 20 years. Our Heart-Links’ partners in Zaña are working towards empowering children, youth and women in this region.

Itinerary subject to minor changes. Participants will be invited to contribute ideas about how to spend 2 flex days in each location. There will be time for exploring local archaeology and for beautiful hiking. Participants are welcome to extend the trip to see more of the country on their own.

Flight arrangements will be booked with Ellison Travel & Tours
TICO registration 2392471