Rhiann Jamieson is volunteer and project manager and is based at the Rainbow Centre in Peru. She is 24 years old, and was born in Edinburgh in Scotland. She studied psychology at Glasgow University and graduated in 2005 with a first class honours degree. After graduating she worked in a specialized psychiatric unit, and also has experience working as a counselor and with children in education settings. Rhiann first got involved with Kiya in 2006, when she came out as a volunteer on a 3 month programme. Since January 2008 she has been working as project/volunteer manager and is responsible for the coordination for all projects and staff in the two centres. She is responsible for the well being of the volunteers while in Peru, in Mama Cocha and Arco Iris, as well as assisting them in their individual projects within school. She is responsible for communication between the staff and volunteer groups, for communication with the UK office, administration and organization within the centre.

Juana Zúniga Pino
Director and Teacher of Nursery class
juanikiara900@hotmail.com

Juana Zúñiga Pino is the Director and teacher of the nursery class here at the Rainbow Centre. She was born here in Cusco and is 35 years old. She has been involved with the Rainbow Centre since the beginning. Juana completed her studies as nursery school teacher at Santa Roja institute in Cusco. She has also completed diplomas in special education and early stimulation at San Antonio University in Cusco. Juana is married with 2 beautiful daughters. She says “I have always loved working with children, and now I’m lucky enough to work with special needs children. I feel lucky to be able to give the children my time, love and knowledge and support their families, hoping that they will learn more and become independent and children who can develop their potential as far as possible.” Juana is responsible for the organization and structure of the staff team and daily activities and of meeting local standards with the Education Board. She is the first point of contact for any family member or new student.

Elizabeth De Peña Martinez
Teacher of Life Skills group
Creative workshop director
Volunteer Coordinator
cejitas79@hotmail.com

Elizabeth De Peña Martinez is 32 years old, and was born in the Dominican Republic in the city of Santa Domingo. She has worked in education since she was 14 years old, at different levels; nursery, primary and secondary. She completed her studies in primary education in the UNPHU in the Dominican Republic, and has since completed specialities in Special Education and Child Psychology at the National University of Trujillo here in Peru. Elizabeth has also worked in adult literacy, theatre and dance and has recently completed a Red Cross course in First Aid. Elizabeth is our Life Skills Teacher here at the Rainbow Centre, working with our oldest group of students. She is responsible for helping these young people realize their potential and become as independent and self sufficient as possible. This is done by working on a variety of activities including individual job roles within and outwith the school, bread making, work in the school shop and practical workshops in cooking, cleaning, sex education, yoga, relaxation and self care. She has a big interest in theatre and dance, and works with all age groups on producing drama productions and expressing themselves through music throughout the year. She is also our workshop director, responsible for organizing and planning creative workshops for our older students. Elizabeth is also support volunteer coordinator, involved in the organization and execution of our volunteer program at the Rainbow Centre.

Iris Serna Muñoz
Social Worker
irisermu@hotmail.com

Iris Serna Muñoz is working as Social Worker here at the Rainbow Centre. She has been involved in the project since the very beginning. Iris was born in Lima, and now lives in Cusco with her 23 year old son, who is studying human rights and politics at university. She completed her studies of social work in the University of Ica, and afterwards studies of administration and nursing technician at the University of Arequipa. Iris has studied many different areas, for example working with behaviour problems, learning difficulties and has recently completed a Red Cross course in First Aid. Iris is responsible for organizing doctors visits, medical interventions and anti parasite campaigns for our students and their families as and when they need it. She is also closely involved with the families, assessing their social and economic situations, which allows us to provide support based on their needs. She is responsible for the welfare of the children living in the Rainbow House and for managing their ongoing needs. She is also an integral part of our Parent and Family School and Workshop program.

Luisa Vicentina Salas Cano
Cook

Luisa Vicentina was born in the Sacred Valley in the town of Pisac. Before working at the Rainbow Centre Luisa worked in a hotel for a number of years. Luisa has 2 sons, Kelvin who is 15 years old, and Michel who is 11 years old. Michel attends classes here at the Rainbow Centre, as he has delayed development and conduct problems, and he is receiving a number of different therapies at the Rainbow Centre. Luisa is the cook here at the Rainbow Centre, preparing morning snack and lunch for the whole school. Due to popular demand, Luisa is also going to start cookery classes teaching the volunteers how to prepare traditional Peruvian dishes. She has been working here for 5 years now, and she says that it now feels like her second home.

 

Juan Torres Cruz
Watchman

Juan is from Urubamba and Works as a day/night watchman and care taker at The Rainbow Centre. He lives here in Urubamba with his 4 children and he has been working with Kiya for a number of years. Juan is a dedicated member of the team, looking after the centre, garden and animals with care and enthusiasm. He is in charge of security, cleaning and maintenance at the Rainbow Centre. He is responsible for any maintenance and upkeep issues within the school. He is responsible for making sure that the school is clean, and for maintaining a high standard of hygiene in the toilets and showers. He is also responsible for the upkeep of the flowers, garden and the vegetable patch. Juan looks after and feeds the school horses, rabbits, ducks and dogs. Juan lives on site to make sure that the school and the property is safe.

 

Luis Eduardo Guevera Dávila
Physiotherapist and speech and language therapist

Luis went to school in Cusco, and after began studying nursing at an institute in Cusco. He then moved to Lima, and studied for 4 years to gain his qualification as physiotherapist, later studying a further year to specialise as speech and language therapist. He returned to cusco and spent 5 years working in San Juan de Dios, a special needs unit in Cusco, specialising in cerebal palsy. He spent another 5 years working in Amantani in an orphanage, specialising in an early stimulation programme. He is now working 5 days a week in Arco Iris, working intensively with selected children who have the most severe physiotherapy and speech therapy needs. He is responsible for carrying out evaluations and individual therapies in each of these areas with Rainbow Centre students, as well as several other babies, children and young people who come in only for their individual therapies.

 

Yessica Quispe Felipe
Teacher of Primaria

Yessica was born in here in Cusco and is 25 years old. She completed her studies of primary education in the Superior Public Institute of Urubamba. She has also completed a second specialisation in Interculutural Bilingual Education and is fluent in Quechua. Yessica started working for Kiya in 2007 as teacher of Primaria, and has been a real asset to the team, full of enthusiasm and keen to learn. She is working on a program of language and communication, mathematics, art and science with our older more academically able students. She gave birth to her first son in December, and this year is managing the baby massage program at the Rainbow Centre.

 

 

Miguel Angel Gonzales
Teacher of Physical Education and Driver

Miguel is teacher of physical education, and works with each of our 3 groups of students at different periods throughout the week, teaching them a variety of exercises and sports. He is also the driver of our school combi, and picks up and drops off students from around the valley who are otherwise not able to get to school due to financial or mobility problems. On top of this he is a frequent helper in inicial.

 

 

Julieta Espinoza Lira
Psychologist

Julieta is the newest member of the team at the Rainbow Centre, and is working as psychologist. She went to primary school in Yucay, here in the Sacred Valley, and to secondary school in Urubamba. She then went to study psychology in the Andean University in Cusco. She completed postgraduate studies in child psychology at the University of San Agustin in Arequipa. She has also completed studies in systematic family therapy, and completed her studies of clinical psychology in the University of Cayetano Heredia in Lima. Julieta is responsible for the evaluations of children, and of carrying out individual therapies with children and their families. She will be closely involved in the running of the parent and family workshops.

 

Enoe Avarista Luizar
Substitute mother

Enoe is one of the newest members of the team at the Rainbow Centre. She was born in Cusco, and completed her education there. She has worked as a primary school teacher in schools in the sacred valley, has completed courses in confectionary, sewing, dress making and textiles and has experience in working in all of these areas. Until she started working in the Rainbow House, she worked as carer and tutor for five young children in a childrens home, and moved to Cusco to be closer to her two daughters, who are both studying at university in Cusco.

 

Natalie Vitko
Spanish Teacher
natalie@kiyasurvivors.org

Natalie was born in Lima, and now lives in Urubamba with her grown up daughter and 3 sons. Natalie speaks fluent English and lived in the United States for a number of years. She used to be professional dancer and still works giving exercise and dance classes. Natalie has been working as a Spanish teacher for the Kiya Volunteer Programme for a number of years now. She teaches Spanish to our volunteers at the levels they require, and is generally a fantastic support to the volunteers, helping with local advice and anything they need when they arrive in Peru.

 

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