At the Instituto Educacional Parroquial "Niño Jesús" in San Juan de Miraflores, children in green uniforms gather around displays of emergency preparedness artwork and a hand-built earthquake simulator. The excitement is tangible as they proudly present what they learned in the past few months, including how to pack emergency backpacks and identify family evacuation routes to feed into family evacuation plans.
Last December, the Connecting Business Initiative (CBi) Member Network Hombro a Hombro celebrated the successful completion of the third year of the “Estemos Preparados” project, an educational family emergency plan project in Lima, Peru. This innovative programme has transformed schoolchildren into agents of change for earthquake preparedness in their communities.
Building Resilience Where it is Needed Most
In Lima, where approximately 75-80% of buildings are constructed informally (i.e., they exist outside of formal legal and regulatory frameworks), earthquakes pose an extreme threat. However, the risk isn't only due to informal construction but also poor soil quality, substandard building materials, and proximity to the sea, making these constructions especially vulnerable to the impact of earthquakes and tsunamis. As such, Hombro a Hombro's approach focuses on public and private schools throughout all districts of Lima.
Their approach creates a powerful ripple effect: teachers receive specialized training, then guide students through months of engaging activities where they learn to identify hazards, map evacuation routes, prepare emergency supplies, and react during tremors. The children then become educators themselves, bringing these vital skills home to their families.
What distinguishes Hombro a Hombro's work is their collaborative model – a cornerstone of CBi's global approach. The Family Emergency Plan was co-developed with the national disaster management office (locally known as INDECI), the Ministry of Education (locally known as DRELM), and the local non-governmental organization "Viva Valores." This partnership ensures that government protocols, educational expertise, and private sector resources combine to create a comprehensive programme. At the culmination ceremony that marked the end of the third year of this initiative, teachers highlighted how this unified approach delivers consistent, trustworthy information that benefits entire communities in Lima.
Measurable Impact, Sustainable Future
The numbers speak volumes: in 2024 alone, Hombro a Hombro strengthened disaster preparedness among more than 318,000 students and 8,000 teachers. In 518 specialized workshops, teachers and children developed emergency preparedness and response tools, such as identifying hazards and plotting evacuation routes in their own homes. But the true impact extends beyond statistics – families now also possess knowledge, tools, and confidence to act and protect themselves in case of an emergency.
As the “Estemos preparados” enters its fourth year in 2025, Hombro a Hombro is expanding operations to El Callao, a critical area due to its proximity to the sea. The programme will reach new public schools that have not yet been involved, as well as private schools. This expansion and Hombro a Hombro’s efforts exemplify the unique value of CBi's network approach: connecting private sector capabilities with community needs through locally rooted networks to create sustainable change.
In a region where major earthquakes are inevitable, such a transformation is urgent. As evidenced at the Niño Jesús school, these children aren't just prepared for disasters – they've become catalysts for a more resilient Peru.
The Connecting Business Initiative (CBi) strengthens private sector engagement in disaster risk reduction, emergency preparedness, response, and recovery through member networks worldwide. Hombro a Hombro is CBi's member network in Peru.