At Institutión Educativa Virgen del Rosario, the decades-old roof has been decaying for several months, causing classrooms to experience leaks and water damage during rainstorms.Â
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They have been gradually rebuilding using the occasional support they receive from parents' donations, but the project has stretched for months due to limited funding.
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About the School
  - Location: Ccotohuincho, Urubamba, Peru
  - Bilingual school (teaches in indigenous Quechua language)
  - Primary School (Grades 1-6)
  - Students (girls/boys): 104
  - 6 teachers, 1 secretary, 1 janitor
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The goal: raise $5k to rebuild the roof by the middle of November (start of the rainy season).
Our Current Project
Fall 2026: Virgen del Rosario School
Instutión Educativa Virgen del Rosario, Ccotohuincho, Urubamba
Our Story
We are Ben and Ilan, high school seniors, and we met on a service trip last summer organized by Visions Service Adventures in Urubamba, Peru. We worked alongside members of the nearby Yanahuara community, building bathrooms and green spaces for a local school and helping construct a canal network. We also noticed the declining fluency in the indigenous Quechua language among younger generations, inspiring us to think about the role of education in the community.Â
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After returning home to the U.S., we remained in contact with local leaders we had met in Yanahuara. Rather than deciding from afar what the community needed, we wanted to respond to priorities identified by the community itself. Through these conversations, we learned that many schools in the region lack basic infrastructure and educational resources that could make a meaningful difference in a student's ability to learn. This led us to create the Yachay Project, dedicated to raising funds for these needs.Â
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We work with the Visions Foundation, the nonprofit behind Visions Service Adventures, allowing us to partner with the organization that first brought us together.Â
Our Mission
The Yachay Project was built on the understanding that meaningful change begins with relationships.
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Our goal is not to impose outside solutions, but to work alongside local leaders to identify needs and direct resources towards projects that create lasting impact and reflect the priorities of the schools we serve.
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We believe that where a child is born should not determine the quality of education they receive or the opportunities available to them. When schools are strengthened, students are equipped to succeed.
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As we grow, our commitment remains constant: to develop enduring partnerships, expand access to educational opportunity, and connect compassionate supporters with communities working towards a brighter future. This is more than charity. It is a partnership rooted in respect, shared purpose, and the belief that lasting change is created when people come together in service of one another.Â
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Together, we can help ensure that every student has the resources, encouragement, and opportunity to reach their full potential.Â
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Together, we are supporting Yachay.Â
Our Values
Our work is guided by four core values:
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Partnership. Meaningful change is built through community. Every issue we seek to solve is the product of our careful conversations and deliberation with our community representatives.
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Integrity. We are committed to transparency, accountability, and responsible stewardship of every donation entrusted to us. We aim to keep donors updated on the progress of projects they make possible.Â
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Sustainability. We prioritize initiatives that have enduring impacts on the community we serve. Our goal is to allow these communities to become further self-reliant beyond our initial contribution.Â
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Hope. Every contribution represents an investment in possibility. We believe that education opens doors, strengthens communities, and creates opportunities that extend far beyond the classroom.Â
Connect with Us
Yachay Project
theyachayproject@gmail.com
New York & Washington, DC
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