Heartbroken that indigenous children among most discriminated

I went to Cusco, Peru, and I was shocked and heartbroken to learn that indigenous children are among the most discriminated against and excluded from society. I noticed them right away because of the way they dressed, how shy and awkward they were around other people.

These children are everywhere in Cusco; they come from far away places to sell their goods to the city people. It is easy to identify them because of their colorful hand-made clothes and sandals made of old car tires. These children are timid, and they keep to themselves. You usually see them sitting on sidewalks selling their parents' goods.

I approached the parents, and they are willing to share some information about themselves and their children. Every day, millions of people, mostly indigenous, who speak languages other than Spanish, face linguistic exclusion. This exclusion extends to other areas of life, including education, health, and employment.
The infant mortality rate is 3.5 times higher than that of the non-indigenous population. The life expectancy among the indigenous population is 30 years less than the non-indigenous.
The extreme poverty in Peru is overwhelming; unfortunately, as much as I want to go back, it is impossible to get toys into the country. The last time I was there, I was stopped in customs for hours; they threatened to confiscate my toys and put me in Jail. After paying a big sum of money, they let me go, but I was told I was not allowed back into the country with toys.

Luckily enough, we were able to get lots of toys into the country on this trip. We found a guide who spoke the native language and owned a car to take us around.

After days of driving through the villages and giving toys to the children, my heart was aching. Too many children had never owned a toy before. I told them how beautiful they looked in their indigenous clothes and how I wish I spoke their language.

These children were so in shock that foreigners like me would acknowledge them and admire their clothing and language.

This is the reason why I love what I do. By traveling and spending time face-to-face with these children and seeing their struggle and suffering, I can better understand why I need to continue my mission to take toys to these areas. Hopefully, I can someday return to Peru with my toys without getting them taken away or arrested by the authorities.

Видео Heartbroken that indigenous children among most discriminated канала One Toy at a Time