Our Work in Peru

Peru’s geography means that children can grow up in very different educational environments, from communities in the Andes to settlements throughout the Amazon. The Library Project supports rural schools and community centers by establishing Reading Rooms and Reading Corners that give children welcoming places to discover books and spend more time reading.

Book Donations strengthen collections already available within schools and communities, while Literacy Programs help children move beyond simply having access to books and develop stronger reading and comprehension skills. Training & Support helps teachers and community educators reinforce literacy through their daily work with children.

Our Capacity Building work focuses on strengthening local nonprofit organizations that understand the communities they serve. Through practical organizational and program support, we help these organizations develop stronger, more sustainable approaches to improving children’s literacy.

Literacy in Peru

Peru continues to face substantial learning challenges despite long-term improvements in school access. In PISA 2025, only 42 percent of 15-year-old students reached at least the baseline level of reading proficiency, compared with an OECD average of 69 percent. Reading performance declined from 2022 and returned to approximately the level observed in 2015.

The challenge is particularly important in rural communities. UNICEF reports deep learning disparities according to geography and socioeconomic circumstances. In its analysis of Peru’s 2022 national assessment, UNICEF found markedly weaker outcomes among students completing primary school in rural areas than among students in urban schools. UNICEF identifies improving access to learning-recovery programs and providing greater support to teachers as important responses to these gaps.

Language also matters. Peru is home to more than 40 Indigenous languages, and roughly one million school-age children speak an Indigenous language at home. For many, Spanish is a second language, making culturally and linguistically appropriate literacy materials and instruction especially important. Peru has consequently expanded bilingual assessment and intercultural education for Indigenous learners.

The Library Project contributes by increasing access to books and reading spaces in rural communities, providing Literacy Programs, strengthening teachers and community educators through Training & Support, and supporting locally led literacy organizations.