Betty during the weekly “social circle” meeting

The experiment we started over 2 years ago, to employ former FairMail teenagers as co-managers in Peru, is working well. So well that we decided to contract Betty (22) as new co-manager in Peru as of the first of April 2016.

This way assuring that FairMail Peru is run not only for but also by deprived teenagers.

“I am happy to work with the teenage photographers now as I was once one of them” says Betty. “Besides sharing the nice times with them, I will also get a lot of valuable work experience out of it, benefiting my personal future as I now have a lot more responsibility.”

Betty in action as teenage photographer

A shining example

The experiment has shown that making former teenagers in charge is very motivational for the current teenagers as they are shining examples of what one can achieve by making good use of the opportunities that FairMail provides. What also helps is that our new managers understand best the situations and hardships the FairMail teenagers have to deal with to get ahead in life. That makes FairMail’s guidance more relevant and legit.

As Betty says, “As former photographer I hope to be able to support and motivate the current teenagers, and help them with my advice. As just like me they come from parts of Trujillo with a low quality of life.”

Betty as a teenager with one of her cards in front of her house

Personal development for at-risk youth

Of course it requires a lot of training of our young and inexperienced managers to get them ready to carry the responsibilities their new jobs entail.

“My biggest challenges I am facing now is to win the trust of the new teenagers, their parents and the local NGO’s FairMail cooperates with.” according to Betty. “I also have to learn to manage my time better as I am getting more responsibilities in my work, which without doubt will be beneficial for me in other future jobs.”

But this training is something we enjoy doing and see as a natural extension of FairMail’s mission to provide personal development opportunities to at-risk youth. The most capable and responsibly ones are now getting the opportunity to obtain quality work experience which they can combine with their advanced education. Seeing them grow professionally only gives us more satisfaction!

You can read more about FairMail’s experience with employing former teenagers as local managers here.

Yuli during her time as FairMail co-manager

Thank you Yuli!

Betty’s new job means we are saying good bye to Yuli after she had worked for us for 2 years. During that time she performed a great job for FairMail. But after coming back from a 3 month working stay in the USA (during which Betty replaced her) Yuli decided she could no longer combine her job for FairMail with all her other activities. She is studying to become a language teacher, working as an assistant teenager and also studying English and French!. We will all miss Yuli’s inspiring and cheerful presence, but have no doubt she will come by to visit us regularly.