Dina Quispe, SOS mother, Peru
Dina is a leader among the SOS mothers at the SOS Children’s Village in Ayacucho, Peru. She is a mentor for other caregivers, sharing her experience, giving them support and encouraging them to develop their own capacities.
Dina has always gone the extra mile for children and young people under her care. Among the 30 children she has raised over the years, a number had emotional and behavioural problems. Through patience, love, and dedication, Dina helped them achieve emotional stability. She watches, listens, builds trust, and finally gets to know their feelings and needs. In many cases, together with the children, she helped change their attitude and behaviours, transforming their lives. Today she stays in touch with most of the children she has cared for, many of whom recognise that her support was key to overcoming their challenges.
“My motivation is to see the improvements in my children, see them thrive, get a superior education and fulfil their life objectives,” Dina says.
One young man who was quite rebellious as a child, managed to fulfil his dream of becoming a police officer. When he got his first paycheck, he took Dina out for lunch and gave her a pair of slippers as a gift, telling her: “Mommy, to me you are my mom, because you were there supporting me even when I was not behaving well and you guided me with love and patience. Now in gratitude, with my first salary, I want to recognise you and give you the best of me. Thank you for everything you gave me.”