Home: Freunde Waldorf

Overcoming difficulties and fostering creativity

Peru: The Colegio Waldorf Lima was founded in 1982 with three grades. The initiative quickly developed to be a comprehensive school with all 12 grades, where the children are taught with love and participate in many artistic activities. The feedback from the universities is very positive because they appreciate the student’s creativity in solving problems.

The main highlights of the school year are the annual school music festival, with the violin players from lower grades and the high school choir, as well as the St. John’s festival with the great fire. Other highlights include the reunion meetings, the Christmas Bazaar and the play “The Birth of Christ”.

The Colegio Waldorf is the oldest Waldorf school in Peru and therefore a pioneer of Waldorf education. The school has a good reputation because it takes in children with difficulties and can ‚heal’ many of them. Alongside the usual parents evenings and lectures there is a course for all parents, in which they can learn to understand what Waldorf education is. One of the main problems is that the children often live in two quite different worlds, at home and in school. The American lifestyle of many families and the fact that usually both parents have to work, means that the children are left to look after themselves, often ending up in front of the television or playing computer games.

Another concern is the traffic and security situation in Lima, a city of 8 million people. Due to the many robberies and hostage taking, all children have to be brought to school by car. Because of the danger of earthquakes, Lima has no subway system, so there are many small buses and general traffic chaos.

A great difficulty is also the rapidly rising cost of living in Peru. Teachers with children or sick parents have to work in second jobs such as sewing, baking or offering private tuition. Even public school teachers have to have two jobs nowadays. But despite all the difficulties, the school has a harmonious, cheerful community that is willing to learn and that will carry the Waldorf impulse further.

Because the Colegio Waldorf Lima wants to keep its doors open to all children and thereby receives no government support, it relies on outside help. Only this can help overcome the difficult situations that have arisen through the global economic context. Interesting and exciting moments can be expected, but however the will is there to further promote and strengthen Waldorf education, and not let it suffer from the various difficult situations.

Empower & donate now
Empower & donate now