Mosqoy

Mosqoy Youth Program

Supporting Quechua youth to pursue their dreams and lead their futures

Mosqoy's Youth Program — previously known as the T’ikary Youth Program — was launched in 2006 and funds the post-secondary education of promising students from rural communities of the Peruvian Andes.

This program empowers youth from rural highland Quechua communities to pursue their dreams of furthering their education while strengthening ties with their communities and their cultural heritage.

The Program's Objectives:

To provide educational opportunities for Quechua youth who cannot otherwise afford to continue their studies after high school

To equip more Indigenous youth leaders with the skills for forge a future for their communities that is economically and culturally resilient

To set in motion a cycle of reciprocity whereby scholarship students not only inspire the next generation of youth to dream towards brighter futures but actually go on to support them financially

Unidentified person whispering into Quechua girl's ear

Issues to Confront:

As of data collected in 2012, less than 5% of youth in highland Quechua communities of the Peruvian Andes carry on to study at technical institutes or universities.

From this ensues a rapidly deepening cycle of poverty and inequality:

A lack of education leads to a lesser capacity to participate in the changing economic context of globalization

With a lessening ability to benefit or have a say in Peru's surge of tourism and development, each generation becomes poorer than the last

Indigenous young women are especially disadvantaged as they are discriminated against with few educational and economic opportunities beyond their pre-determined gender roles that are often oppressive

The Project's Specifics:

Mosqoy Youth Program assists post-secondary students every year by sponsoring their studies at tertiary institutions (universities and trade institutes) in Cusco. While enrolled, students live in Cusco at Casa Mosqoy, a dormitory-style residence, with a resident advisor. In exchange for this opportunity, students participate in fundraising events and volunteer service projects, to contribute to the education of future scholarship students. They are also encouraged to aid both their families and community through financial support, time, and/or skills, both during and after their studies.

Our goal is that the youth program will not only assist our current students but that it will become a self-sustaining system of education whereby the trend shifts towards an upward cycle of prosperity, resilience and autonomy.

Student Responsibilities:

While studying and living in Casa Mosqoy, the students are expected to:

Attend their classes and maintain high academic excellence

Contribute to the Mosqoy community and the Casa Mosqoy household by participating in events, meetings and student duties

Carry out volunteer service through our Kallpa K’oj Program, which allows students to use their skills to support Andean communities in Peru.

Give back to the youth program, their communities, and their families

Student Eligibility:

The selected students have demonstrated the following:

A strong desire to pursue their education after high school and obtain a professional career

A lack of economic resources to continue their studies

Willingness to assist their families, the youth program, and their communities

Good grades and leadership qualities

Where Does the Funding Come From?

Currently, the majority of our funding is provided by our generous donors and student sponsors. However, as we develop our social enterprises further, we plan to reduce the dependency on donors and fund the Mosqoy Youth Program through various revenue streams: