FairServices Spanish School

We have spent the last two weeks studying at the FairServices Spanish School in Cusco.  We spent three weeks at the start of our trip and the Simon Bolivar School in Cuenca, Ecuador, and this has been an interesting contrast.  In all, I think the school here in Cusco has been better and that we have learned more through their somewhat more structured approach.  (Perhaps I´m in the worst position to judge, however, given that I´ve only been in class two hours a day, vs four for everyone else, which actually suits me fine; even so, I´ve made a lot of progress in actually conjugating verbs correctly).

FairServices is, in addition to a fine Spanish School that I´d recommend to anyone, an impressive non-profit institution that is successfully raising single mothers out of poverty by helping them become qualified Spanish teachers.  All of the teachers here are (or were) single mothers, who have gone through a rigorous 10-month training program to qualify as teachers.  They learn Spanish curriculum, teaching skills, as well as some English.

FairServices recruits teacher candidates from high schools in the area.  Candidates must be single mothers and high school graduates.  Most have no real job possibilities and have never before considered that they might one day become middle class teachers, members of a respected profession.  They go through an interview process to be accepted into the training, and training itself is quite rigorous - only about 10% of the 150 or so candidates that apply for each training program earn their qualification as teachers.  In our experience, the teachers are well-qualified, both in their skills and personalities.  Candidates are not paid for the training, although they receive free meals, transportation and child care during the program.  Upon graduating, teachers earn around 1400 soles per month (around $500, or twice the minimum wage in Peru), which puts them into the lower middle class.  As we got to know our teachers, we heard many dramatic stories of lives turned around and families brought together as our teachers, previously on the margins of society, became professional teachers.  (This has been a contrast to Ecuador, where our teachers were university graduates from more established backgrounds.)  FairServices also helps the teachers manage their transition into the middle class and balance their work and family lives by providing flexible hours and fostering a community for the teachers.

In addition the Spanish school, FairServices also runs an after school program for disadvantaged kids, and a salsa school for foreigners.  I know less about these, but I believe the after school program is financed by the Spanish school.  Students pay about $10 per hour for Spanish lessons (the same rate as for profit schools), with half going directly to the teachers, and half to the school, which uses the money to support the school and the other programs.

FairServices is run on a shoestring by a Belgian-Peruvian couple, who founded it eight years ago.  John, the Belgian, is the head of the non-profit, while Fanny, his wife, is the head teacher and the director of the training programs.  They are mostly self-funded with some donors in Europe who contribute about 15,000 Euros a year.  It struck us that they are doing good, impressive work here, creating lasting difference in the lives of families that really need the help.  And they are doing so below the radar screen of any major international funders, yet in what appears to be a very organized and professional fashion.  Given Yo´s extensive background and network in women´s rights, she is going to try and connect them with some larger funders in the US when we return.