When Loreto Sister Deepa Biswas was asked if she would consider moving from India to Peru, her answer was immediate.
“I’d never thought about Peru,” she laughs. “Never!”
At the time, she served as a school principal and was deeply involved in her parish, especially supporting young people. She imagined her future ministry in India or Nepal. Peru simply wasn’t part of her plans.
However, following the Loreto Sisters’ 2006 General Congregation in Peru, Congregation Leader Sr Marian Moriarty ibvm invited Sr Deepa to begin a process of discernment about the move. The “Never!” became a “Yes!” and now 20 years on, she can’t believe how quickly the time has passed.
“People ask me how I have lived here for so long,” Sr Deepa says. “I tell them I fell in love with the people. I feel these are my people.”
Today, Sr Deepa leads Warmi Wasi Women’s Development Centre in Huaycán. Through Warmi Wasi, she supports children and families through the Child Rights Community Education project in one of Lima’s most peripheral and underserved communities.
In search of opportunity, many families have migrated to Huaycán from other parts of Peru, yet poverty, violence, and insecurity remain daily realities.
“Because of violence in many families, these children don’t always feel safe at home,” Deepa explains. “Sometimes they also don’t feel secure at school. Through our project workshops, we empower and encourage them to say NO TO VIOLENCE and to share their difficult experiences with others.”
Life has become increasingly difficult in Huaycán. Political instability and rising living costs have placed even greater pressure on families already living on the edge. “If people cannot work, they may not have food — even for one meal,” she says.
Yet amid these challenges, Deepa sees remarkable hope in the young people themselves. One of the project’s greatest successes has been the creation of the Girls’ Circle.
A few years ago, many of the girls lacked the confidence to speak in front of others. Today, they lead discussions, share their experiences, and help shape conversations about the issues affecting young women in their community.
“Before, they were not able to stand up and speak,” Deepa says. “Now they can.”
The girls decide together what issues they want to explore, from safety and violence to education and relationships. Through group workshops, they build confidence, support one another, and discover that their voices matter.
The impact has reached far beyond the school. District leaders who attended one of the Girls’ Circle gatherings were so impressed by the students’ confidence that they invited the project to bring girls together from other schools across Huaycán. Now, project participants help lead workshops for their peers, creating opportunities for more girls to speak openly and become leaders.
“When we see them standing up and speaking with confidence, we feel so proud,” Deepa says.
The changes don’t stop there. Children who once struggled with fear and violence are growing into young people who choose to stay in school, believe in their potential, and become positive leaders among their peers. For Sr Deepa, these moments remind her why she came to Peru.
“Our aim is that history does not repeat itself,” she says. “We want these children to lead different lives.”
She is quick to acknowledge that this transformation belongs to many. “I am very grateful to our staff, to Mary Ward International offices all over the world, and to everyone who supports us, directly or indirectly. We work as one team. Without your support, we could not do this work. We cannot see every result immediately, but every act of generosity matters. One drop of water helps make the ocean.”
Nearly 20 years after arriving in the place she never expected to call home, Sr Deepa remains committed to walking alongside the people of Huaycán. Through the courage of its young women, the community is showing that history does not have to repeat itself.
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