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.

Our team visited all three regions where Heart-Links’ partners work: Cajamarca, in the northeastern Andes; the Zaña Valley, in the central coast lowlands; and the Chiclayo Metropolitan Area, also in the central coast lowlands, one hour south from Zaña.

In Cajamarca, we met with the volunteers who run the Rural Libraries Network, a 54-year-old association that supplies books to almost 300 remote libraries across Cajamarca and adjacent provinces. In addition to publishing books, the network promotes literacy and records and preserves traditional knowledge and culture. A principle tool is the Enciclopedia Campesina, a project financed by Heart-Links. We stayed at the Rural Libraries guesthouse in Cajamarca. The building is also the home of the main library, offices and meeting rooms.

Also in Cajamarca is ACIES, a community development organization that works in the impoverished city neighborhood of Quiritimayo. In the Quiritimayo Cultural Centre, ACIES offers an afterschool program that includes educational support, ecological workshops and cleanups, reading circles, writing groups, and art classes. ACIES also works with women, delivering workshops in mental health self-care and artisanal training. ACIES runs similar programs in the rural village of Pomabamba, as well an alternative school for impoverished children and youth, where they also learn about water conservation, gardening, and raising small animals.

In Zaña, we met the members of Latidos. In communities up and down the Zaña Valley, this association runs afterschool programs, breakfast and lunch programs, mental health workshops, entrepreneurial training for women and reforestation and forest protection. Latidos is strongly involved in the local business community, including agrobusiness, and works with them to practice corporate social responsibility, such as hiring locally. We stayed in the lovely Latidos guesthouse.

Our other partner in Zaña is Madre Oliva Association. They run an afterschool program in the rural hamlet of Nuevo Mocupe, where children receive educational support and recreation. The association also delivers food aid, clothing, medication and mental health training and counselling  to approximately 20 vulnerable families.

Finally, we went to the bustling metropolis of Chiclayo, and stayed in a charming modest downtown hotel. We first met with members of Centro Esperanza. This agency runs numerous programs from their Chiclayo office and premises, but the program Heart-Links supports is in Coloche, a rural community in Lambayeque. There, Centro Esperanza has started a women’s farming collective called MUFUM (Women for a Better Future). The women of MUFUM raise and market fast-growing guinea pigs. Centro Esperanza has provided production training, ecological workshops, leadership development and mental health programs. The project is thriving.

Our final visit was with Centro Santa Angela. Founded 41 years ago by the Ursuline Sisters of Chatham, the centre promotes ecological communities in the impoverished urban district of José Leonardo Ortiz, assisting local residents to rescue parkland, develop community spirit, and end harmful ecological practices. In its downtown office, Centro Santa Angela runs programs, also sponsored by Heart-Links, aimed at ending family violence and misogyny, developing community leaders and good citizens, and exercising vigilance against corruption.

It was wonderful to see the positive impact our partners are making in the lives of hundreds of children, youth, women and men in northern Peru. We can say with confidence that your donations to Heart-Links are helping create a more just world.

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.

This vision came to life thanks to the tireless efforts of our partner organization, Latidos, and the support of local businesses like Agrícola Cayaltí. Together, they’ve created a safe, welcoming space for learning, where families can connect and grow. But this is just one chapter in Latidos’ incredible story of building resilient communities across the Zaña Basin.

Empowering a Generation

Over the past year, Latidos has reached deep into the heart of their communities, sparking change where it’s needed most.

Take the workshops for children and adolescents, for example. Through sessions on life planning, cultural awareness, and psychosocial risk prevention, 120 students across four schools have discovered their potential to dream bigger and achieve more. These young people aren’t just learning—they’re becoming leaders, equipped with the tools to transform their future.

And it’s not just the kids who are finding their voices. Women in the community are stepping into leadership roles too. Through workshops on entrepreneurship and family well-being, Latidos is helping women harness their strength, build businesses, and advocate for change. They’re forming networks, planning events like a Christmas dinner for women leaders, and showing their communities what empowered women can achieve.

Hope for the Future

Latidos’ impact extends to the elderly as well. Picture senior citizens gathering for a workshop on self-esteem, their laughter filling the room as they share stories and build friendships. These sessions are more than just classes—they’re lifelines, creating a sense of belonging and purpose for older adults in Zaña, Cayaltí, and Mocupe.

Then there are the health campaigns, which have delivered fortified food, organized anemia screenings, and even hosted competitions for healthy cooking. The results? Stronger families, healthier children, and a community inspired to take charge of their well-being.

Cultivating Resilience, Together

Latidos is also tackling environmental challenges head-on. Through their EcoGuardians Program, students are learning to protect their environment by conserving water, planting trees, and reducing waste. These young guardians are already making an impact—250 trees now line riverbanks near their towns, standing as a testament to their dedication.

All of this work is guided by a single goal: to create resilient communities. Latidos connects local groups with regional institutions, private companies, and NGOs, ensuring they have the resources to thrive.

Looking Ahead

The story doesn’t end here. Latidos is already planning for the future. Their upcoming programs include:

• Expanding literacy: Building new community libraries and strengthening school libraries to ignite a love of reading.
• Fighting anemia: Launching Superheroes Against Anemia to protect children under five from this preventable condition.
• Growing leaders: Empowering women and youth to become champions of change in their communities.

Your Role in This Story

This journey of transformation is only possible because of the support of people like you. Every dollar donated, every moment of your attention, fuels the dreams of the people in these communities.

When you join us for events like Share the Love or contribute to Heart-Links, you’re not just giving resources—you’re giving hope. Together, we’re turning the page to a brighter future, one where communities stand strong, resilient, and united.

Let’s keep this story going. Join us in supporting Latidos’ incredible work and become a part of their journey to change lives in Peru. Together, we can write the next chapter.

We are happy to report that your donations helped Latidos meet their goal of 8 villages and surpass it. They brought health and vaccination clinics to 15 communities in the valley. They worked closely with all five health centres in the valley and strengthened their reach by supplying medical and non-medical volunteers, transportation and lodging.

Latidos also campaigned to raise awareness about the importance of vaccination and disease prevention. In the towns of Zaña and Cayaltí, vaccination rates were 99%.

Thank you for responding to our appeal and helping improve health care in the Zaña Valley.

Latidos has helped us health strategies in the communities. Thanks to their support with volunteers and logistics, we’ve been able to reach 90% of the most vulnerable communities.

Karla Jiménez, Zaña Health Centre

I am very grateful for the opportunity Latidos gave us to help. We often have the will, but we do not have the financial means. Thanks to Heart-Links, we were able to travel, have refreshments and to help many people. A unique experience.

Angel David Salazar, nursing student

“Here in the Zaña Valley, communities have been isolated, bridges washed away and a man from Zaña was even killed, he has not been found,” Flor Reaño, of Latidos, reports. “Houses have collapsed, others have been damaged by the constant rain. We hope this passes quickly because already food prices are rising and products are scarce in the places that have been cut off.” 

Latidos has purchased plastic sheeting and corrugated zinc sheeting to help the most vulnerable in these communities protect their homes.

Latidos’ rapid response to the emergency shows why strong community-based organizations are so important. It’s why at Heart-Links we believe it is just as important to support the growth and development of our local partners as it is to fund the projects they run.

When Flor Reaño founded Latidos in 2016, Heart-Links was the organization’s only funder. Latidos used that support to produce results that impressed other funders and broadened their base of support. In the last few years, we’ve seen the organization’s team of volunteers more than double. They’ve also been able to connect with government programs and services and bring these to the communities they serve.

Heart-Links’ partners are always at the ready to help the people of northern Peru. They can do this because of you, our supporters, who have invested in building strong, responsive, community-based organizations like Latidos.

Do you want to invest in strong community-based organization in northern Peru? Join our monthly donor family so you can help organizations like Latidos all year round.

We end our International Development Week celebration with a shout out to our partner Latidos.

Latidos’ work to help families in the Zaña Valley to recover health and well-being after the devastating years of the COVID-19 pandemic and to stay healthy during the current political and economic crisis was the focus of our recent fall appeal.

Heart-Links donors answered that call with great generosity, fully funding Latidos’ project for the coming year. That’s worth celebrating.

We were also thrilled to see Latidos’ work highlighted by the Ontario Council for Interantional Cooperation as part of their IDW celebrations.

Check it out!

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A post shared by Ontario Council for International Cooperation (@ocicofficial)

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A post shared by Ontario Council for International Cooperation (@ocicofficial)

On December 7, hours before what was to be his third impeachment hearing in the short 17 months he has occupied the office, President Pedro Castillo moved to dissolve Congress. He was arrested the same day, and shortly afterward Vice President Dina Bularte assumed his office. She is Peru’s sixth president in six years.

On learning of Castillo’s arrest, thousands of Peruvians took to the streets to protest his ouster. At least seven Castillo supporters have died so far in the violence.

Chronic instability has had and continues to have dire consequences for the Peruvian population. Any action by government is stalled, services are delayed. Much-needed development and reform is postponed indefinately. Civic unrest, which at least initially was concentrated mostly in the South, has disrupted supply lines and increased already high transporation fares. Food is not getting to market.

For our partners in Zaña, Chiclayo and Cajamarca, the current crisis has made already difficult conditions much more difficult. They know that vulnerable populations are always the most hurt. They also see that their programs to foster ethical and democratic leadership, to build resilient sustainable communities and to attend to basic needs, including food, among other initiatives, help people in their communities ride out crises like these and plant the seeds of a better future.

Heart-Links expresses our solidarity with the Peruvian people, who deserve so much better from their representatives in government. We are encouraged by the compassion, integrity and commitment of people like the leaders of Madre Oliva Association, Latidos, ACIES, Rural Libraries, Centro Santa Angela and Centro Esperanza—our partners. Their work offers hope for a better world for Peruvians and inspiration for people everywhere.

When: Thursday, February 10, from 7:00 to 8:30 PM EST

Where: Zoom Webinar (registration link to come)

Special Guests:

• Lola Paredes, of Rural Libraries Network (from Cajamarca)
• Flor Reaño, of Latidos (from the Zaña Valley)
• Erla Hoyos, of Centro Santa Angela (from José Leonardo Ortiz, Chiclayo)

Proceeds from this FREE-ADMISSION virtual event will go to supporting the work of these and our other three Peruvian partner organizations in the coming year.

DO YOU WANT TO HELP SHARE THE LOVE?

There are many ways to get involved.

• Join us on February 10. Visit this EVENT page to register (registration link to come).
• Visit our online silent auction. Auction goes live February 3.
• Donate a silent auction prize. If you have an item or service you’d like to donate, contact info@heart-links.org
• Own a business? Consider sponsoring our event. Contact info@heart-links.org for more information.
• SPREAD THE WORD!

With the support of Heart-Links donors, Latidos has supplied families and individuals in need in the Zaña Valley with educational materials, nutritious food and mental health counselling. They have helped rural women to grow healthy produce for themselves and their families and to generate much-needed income. 

Now, with vaccination against COVID-19 a priority, Flor’s team of volunteers has mobilized to provide logistical support—PPE, uniforms, food and refreshments, transport, lodging—to frontline volunteers and medical personnel deploying vaccines throughout the Zaña Valley.

Initially only 20 vaccines had been alloted to Zaña, but with the support of Flor’s volunteer brigades, clinics in the valley are vaccinating as many as 300 people a day. Heart-Links just received the official tallies for May: Flor and her team helped 4,278 people get vaccinated.

These women are heroes. They have continued to help even after experiencing loss themselves. Flor fell ill with COVID-19 last year, and she and two other Latidos members have lost several family members to the disease. They carry on, as Flor says, “so that the vaccine reaches everyone, without regard for age, without regard for social condition.”

Listen to Flor yourself and learn more about the amazing people who are making your donations make a difference in so many lives: