Latin America
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Where We Work
There are more than 100,000 children who are blind throughout Latin America. The vast majority of these children, especially those with additional impairments, do not have educational opportunities. Perkins partners with local agencies to provide educational services to nearly 3,400 children who are deafblind or blind with additional impairments throughout the region, which stretches from the Sierra Nevada volcanic belt in Mexico to the steppes of Patagonia in Argentina.
In collaboration with our partners, Perkins programs in Latin America are creating pioneering approaches to meet the needs of children who are deafblind or blind with additional disabilities. There are countless examples of projects contributing to improved education services for children in need.
- In Guatemala, Perkins worked with a local agency to establish the first national education center for children who are deafblind.
- In countries such as Ecuador, we coordinate national teacher training programs that bring together professionals from multiple provinces.
- Argentina, Costa Rica and Panama are but a few countries where we support parent groups.
- To improve education and health policies for children, we collaborate with education ministries in places such as the Dominican Republic, Mexico and Uruguay.
- Chile houses one of the several university programs that Perkins partners with to develop graduate level curricula on multihandicapped education.
These initiatives and projects at the provincial and national levels weave together into a vibrant and cohesive program, rendering the entire region one of great possibilities.
In 1990, there were six programs in the region serving less than 100 children who were deafblind or blind with additional disabilities. Today, our partnerships have resulted in more than 50 projects in 17 countries, directly impacting more than 4,000 children, teachers and families each year. Countries that are home to our partners include: Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Mexico, Panama, Peru, Uruguay, and Venezuela. Perkins has an office in Cordoba, Argentina.
We invite you to read more about the variety of programs Perkins supports in the region. These highlights provide insight as to how partnerships enable Perkins and local groups to meet the needs of children in need. If you have questions or would like more information please contact Stephen Perreault, Regional Consultant, at Stephen.Perreault@Perkins.org, or Graciela Ferioli, Regional Representative in Argentina, at hperkins@ciudad.com.ar.