How does Superlearner work towards its goal; empowering children?

Superlearner offers a safe and cost-free environment for at-risk youth to study, play, and learn alongside a diverse set of volunteers from all over the globe. We operate primarily in the Pamplona Alta neighborhood of Lima, Peru, and also teach classes in other areas of Lima, usually held in conjunction with other partners, ranging from church groups to other charitable ventures.

Our curriculum is meant to supplement the education that the children are already receiving at their local schools. While it is great that they are going to school, their educational path is substantially behind that of students attending expensive Peruvian private schools. We aim to close this gap by offering reinforcement in the subject areas in which they are lagging behind. We believe our students are as naturally talented and worthy as students from wealthier areas and backgrounds. And in order to realize these talents, they need more individual attention and more comprehensive teaching.

Express, discover, develop

Superlearner creates an environment where children can express themselves, discover their interests, nurture their intelligence, and develop their abilities. Through informal education, we offer a genuinely holistic and wide-ranging set of activities.

When a child joins Superlearner, they can practice their skills in concentration, problem-solving, imagination, communication, specific branches of education (reading, writing, mathematics) and much more. Children benefit from their new-found range of abilities – both now and in the future.

As they learn and play, we show children that they are intelligent, capable, and deserving: three traits that are essential to cultivate when growing up in an environment that seems to suggest the opposite.

Workshops we've held:

• Skateboard lessons

• Football (soccer) courses

• Music and singing laboratories

• Workshops on emotional and social skills

• Courses in English, math, reading and writing

In addition to reinforcing the official educational curriculum, we offer activities in subject areas that our students would not otherwise have been exposed to. Recently we helped a nine-year-old chess star take private chess lessons and attend a tournament in Ecuador.

Offering these activities has been a rewarding experience because they provide opportunities for the children to discover a passion and gain self-confidence.

Superlearner is One Big Team

Superlearner is all about cooperation. Our volunteers, partners, and local families are all part of one cohesive unit: Superlearner. Each of our teachers, counselors and students has a unique set of educational and personal experiences, and we encourage each member of the team to express their thoughts, get involved, listen to, and respect each other. Our team provides a model for the children – we show that a team that practices mutual respect, equality, and cohesiveness is a team that is bound for success.

As well as our permanent local members, we have many collaborators who work with us for 2 to 6 months and others who previously worked with us locally, but now continue to support us permanently online. It is important to note that Superlearner has no full-time staff, and nobody is paid for their efforts – we are all involved with Superlearner because we want to contribute to the growth of a community.

Embrace Reality

At Superlearner, we believe that empowerment and education should extend to all aspects of life. Basic knowledge in math or languages is not empowering by itself. This is why our team is made up of teachers and psychologists from a range of backgrounds, and we cooperate with partner-organizations that can supplement our programs. With these resources, we create an empowering and comprehensive difference.

We also aim to explore and analyze the context in which children develop. We encourage their families to be present and meet our staff – as well as take part in activities. Understanding the children’s situational reality – from home to school – helps us have a greater positive impact on students’ lives. Through this approach, we are able to make a tangible and lasting difference in the communities.

Collaboration with Medical Clinic

We are convinced that a good education can only be effective if it’s supported by a balanced psychological state and healthy nutrition. This is why we don’t limit our services to educational activities, but also collaborate with the medical clinic of Pamplona Alta, the district where our intervention is based. Our staff is also composed of volunteer psychologists and nutritionists who attend the families living in the area, providing free medical examinations that wouldn’t be available otherwise.

The medical clinic is open from 8am to 2pm six days a week (Monday - Saturday). The attending psychologist interviews patients, diagnoses and evaluates mental and emotional disorders, formulates plans of treatment and treats psychological disorders. In addition, SL organizes  workshops which develop emotional and social abilities in order to promote inclusion, reduce depressive disorders, and facilitate learning. Meanwhile the nutritionist evaluates the dietary needs of the patients, offers counseling and suggests positive nutritional changes. As many families live at the top of the hills, every month the volunteers take part in health campaigns: with other members of the medical staff, they will visit their patients at home or inside a facility made available by the communities. One day per week, the volunteers are also involved in educational activities for children, teenagers and families in the communal locale of the different communities or at local schools.

About Pamplona Alta:

Superlearner works in the poorest areas of Lima. Children and families live in very low-income districts and are at a clear socio-economic disadvantage compared to their peers in other neighborhoods. These children are vulnerable, as they have limited or no access to basic services such as water, drainage, garbage collection, and electricity. By limiting personal hygiene and cleanliness, these factors have downstream effects on health and safety. Additionally, the educational standard in the districts we work with is shockingly low. When growing up in these areas, it can be difficult to overcome the environmental context.

Pamplona Alta, San Juan de Miraflores

Pamplona Alta is a sector of the district of San Juan de Miraflores, Lima, Peru. Since the 1950s, this district has been the migration destination of many low-income Peruvians from surrounding regions. Many thousands of families arrived here with few resources – and were forced to build houses out of wood, cardboard and plastic tarp in the then-uninhabited Pampas de San Juan. Pamplona Alta, in particular, became heavily populated by families who lost their homes in a large fire in 1963. Additionally, Nueva Rinconada, in the higher parts of the hills of Pamplona Alta, emerged in the late 1990s and is one of the poorest, most-difficult-to-access areas in the region.

Infrastructure and basic services are still lacking in many sectors of San Juan de Miraflores. In Pamplona Alta there is no running water – a water truck delivers water and places it in large blue barrels. Therefore, drinking water is both difficult to access and expensive. These areas also lack a proper drainage system and also lack electricity in some neighborhoods. While there are several schools in the district, only one school is public, and the rest are private. This leads to a stark contrast in educational equality and affects familial expenses. This is also the case with healthcare provision, which is unequal and expensive.

We have already made progress in Pamplona Alta through a pilot program. We have a plan and a formal organization; however, we are still in need of human and financial resources. Right now, every member of the team works out of passion: no one gets paid. If you are equally convinced of the importance of investing in children, we hope you will consider joining us as a volunteer or contributing with a donation.

If you want to learn more about the project and the everyday life in Superlearner, take a look at our Facebook page, Instagram profile, or follow us on YouTube.