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How It Works
FairPlay exists because there is a market. Cusco is South America’s foremost tourism destination and received over a million tourists in 2008. It one of the most popular places in South America to learn Spanish and there are more than two dozen Spanish schools of varying size, quality and stability in the city. A growing market for ethical tourism means that FairPlay’s socially responsible business model is an increasingly powerful asset.
Meanwhile, despite its image as a wealthy tourism hub, there is a large amount of poverty in Cusco. The best available government statistics indicate that 75 per cent of the city’s population lives in poverty or extreme poverty. FairPlay’s own extensive research, conducted in 2008, found that approximately 24 per cent of people in Cusco live in extreme poverty, meaning that they exist on less than $1.70 per person per day.
Of this group, 71 per cent are single mothers and their families. FairPlay believes that by focusing our efforts on a relatively small group of these women, providing training, sustainable employment and an income, we maximize the positive impact we have on these women, their children and their communities.
Our not-for-profit social enterprise, which runs the Spanish school and homestay programme, has annual core running costs of approximately $50,225. On average, 92 per cent of this is covered by income from Spanish lessons and homestays. Fundraising by our enthusiastic supporter group in Belgium more than covers any shortfalls.
We envisage that with growth in these areas and the introduction of our FairSalsa school, the not-for-profit business will soon be entirely self sufficient. Any profits will be directed back towards the NGO, which runs our training programmes, offers support services to our teachers and is currently fundraising for our planned daycare centre.
FairPlay has established a strong reputation as a high quality provider of Spanish tuition and is mentioned in high profile guidebooks including Lonely Planet. In 2009 it received 480 students and taught more than 12,000 hours of Spanish lessons. Sixty per cent of its business came via word-of-mouth recommendations, which serves to highlight a high level of customer satisfaction.
Unlike in the vast majority of language schools, over two-thirds of the cost of our Spanish lessons is paid directly by each student to their teacher. Lessons currently cost $6.50 per hour for one-on-one tuition, of which FairPlay takes $2, leaving the teachers with $4.50. Homestays currently cost approximately $58 to $68 per person per week, on top of which each person pays $15 a week to FairPlay. Salsa lessons through FairSalsa (from September, please see below), will cost approximately $7.75 per hour for private lessons in 2010, rising to $10.35 in 2011. Again, the salsa teachers will earn around two-thirds of this.
Shortfalls in core funding for our social enterprise, when they occur, are currently covered by donations and fundraising by a network of supporters in Belgium. This group raises an average of $20,250 per year, through social events, in-school activities, individual sponsorships and donations. We receive a number of additional ad-hoc donations, as well as donations in kind, and are looking to expand this area of funding.
If you are interested in making a donation of any size, or you work for a business or grant-making organisation that might be interested in supporting FairPlay or our planned daycare centre, please get in touch.
To date, FairPlay has trained 58 women to be Spanish teachers in two groups. Unlike some other charitable organisations that offer training but no employment opportunities, FairPlay trainees who successfully complete the course are given jobs at our school. Twenty-six teachers have been given jobs since the organisation was established. Some have moved onto other employment, and 16 are currently employed at FairPlay, earning a guaranteed minimum wage of $174 per month. Their actual average monthly wage is between $279 and $349. This compares with around $105 a month before they began working for FairPlay, which would have typically included money borrowed from relatives.
This improvement and new-found stability in their financial situations has typically enabled the teachers to provide better food, clothing and accommodation for their children, to send them to better schools and fund healthcare where needed. It has given the women themselves, who as single mothers were on the margins of Peruvian society, a new status and sense of self-worth.
FairPlay is also paying for one of its teachers, Martha Ballesteros Holgado, to complete her university training as a social care assistant. Ms Ballesteros currently runs a social care programme for her fellow teachers, providing training in areas such as nutrition, health and hygiene. The programme also arranges for medical checks for the teachers’ children, and provides for legal advice and other services where needed. If you would like to read Martha’s story, please click here.
FairSalsa will take the model of the FairPlay language school and adapt it to offer a new service: salsa classes for tourists. This time, the target group for trainee teachers is 16 to 25-year-olds from disadvantaged communities who cannot afford to fund further education or training. In May 2010, 40 such young people will attend an initial week of free training. Twenty will be selected to receive four months of training, including in English, which will also be free and will include breakfast and lunch.
They will begin working in September 2010 and it is projected that they will earn an average monthly income of $141 for the first six months, $349 in the second six months and $633 during the second year.
FairPlay has also established the FairPlay Club, of which students and volunteers as well as other tourists can become members. Approximately 50 local businesses, including hostels, bars, restaurants and tour agencies, advertise FairPlay in exchange for a listing on the organisation’s website and inclusion in the FairPlay club booklet, which offers discounts to members. This works as an effective, minimal-cost marketing tool as well as providing an extra service to students. Free weekly cooking classes and volleyball games provide students with a taste of Peruvian culture and add to a sense of community around the school.
If you would like more information on any aspect of FairPlay's work, please do not hesitate to get in touch.
Meanwhile, despite its image as a wealthy tourism hub, there is a large amount of poverty in Cusco. The best available government statistics indicate that 75 per cent of the city’s population lives in poverty or extreme poverty. FairPlay’s own extensive research, conducted in 2008, found that approximately 24 per cent of people in Cusco live in extreme poverty, meaning that they exist on less than $1.70 per person per day.
Of this group, 71 per cent are single mothers and their families. FairPlay believes that by focusing our efforts on a relatively small group of these women, providing training, sustainable employment and an income, we maximize the positive impact we have on these women, their children and their communities.
Our not-for-profit social enterprise, which runs the Spanish school and homestay programme, has annual core running costs of approximately $50,225. On average, 92 per cent of this is covered by income from Spanish lessons and homestays. Fundraising by our enthusiastic supporter group in Belgium more than covers any shortfalls.
We envisage that with growth in these areas and the introduction of our FairSalsa school, the not-for-profit business will soon be entirely self sufficient. Any profits will be directed back towards the NGO, which runs our training programmes, offers support services to our teachers and is currently fundraising for our planned daycare centre.
FairPlay has established a strong reputation as a high quality provider of Spanish tuition and is mentioned in high profile guidebooks including Lonely Planet. In 2009 it received 480 students and taught more than 12,000 hours of Spanish lessons. Sixty per cent of its business came via word-of-mouth recommendations, which serves to highlight a high level of customer satisfaction.
Unlike in the vast majority of language schools, over two-thirds of the cost of our Spanish lessons is paid directly by each student to their teacher. Lessons currently cost $6.50 per hour for one-on-one tuition, of which FairPlay takes $2, leaving the teachers with $4.50. Homestays currently cost approximately $58 to $68 per person per week, on top of which each person pays $15 a week to FairPlay. Salsa lessons through FairSalsa (from September, please see below), will cost approximately $7.75 per hour for private lessons in 2010, rising to $10.35 in 2011. Again, the salsa teachers will earn around two-thirds of this.
Shortfalls in core funding for our social enterprise, when they occur, are currently covered by donations and fundraising by a network of supporters in Belgium. This group raises an average of $20,250 per year, through social events, in-school activities, individual sponsorships and donations. We receive a number of additional ad-hoc donations, as well as donations in kind, and are looking to expand this area of funding.
If you are interested in making a donation of any size, or you work for a business or grant-making organisation that might be interested in supporting FairPlay or our planned daycare centre, please get in touch.
To date, FairPlay has trained 58 women to be Spanish teachers in two groups. Unlike some other charitable organisations that offer training but no employment opportunities, FairPlay trainees who successfully complete the course are given jobs at our school. Twenty-six teachers have been given jobs since the organisation was established. Some have moved onto other employment, and 16 are currently employed at FairPlay, earning a guaranteed minimum wage of $174 per month. Their actual average monthly wage is between $279 and $349. This compares with around $105 a month before they began working for FairPlay, which would have typically included money borrowed from relatives.
This improvement and new-found stability in their financial situations has typically enabled the teachers to provide better food, clothing and accommodation for their children, to send them to better schools and fund healthcare where needed. It has given the women themselves, who as single mothers were on the margins of Peruvian society, a new status and sense of self-worth.
FairPlay is also paying for one of its teachers, Martha Ballesteros Holgado, to complete her university training as a social care assistant. Ms Ballesteros currently runs a social care programme for her fellow teachers, providing training in areas such as nutrition, health and hygiene. The programme also arranges for medical checks for the teachers’ children, and provides for legal advice and other services where needed. If you would like to read Martha’s story, please click here.
FairSalsa will take the model of the FairPlay language school and adapt it to offer a new service: salsa classes for tourists. This time, the target group for trainee teachers is 16 to 25-year-olds from disadvantaged communities who cannot afford to fund further education or training. In May 2010, 40 such young people will attend an initial week of free training. Twenty will be selected to receive four months of training, including in English, which will also be free and will include breakfast and lunch.
They will begin working in September 2010 and it is projected that they will earn an average monthly income of $141 for the first six months, $349 in the second six months and $633 during the second year.
FairPlay has also established the FairPlay Club, of which students and volunteers as well as other tourists can become members. Approximately 50 local businesses, including hostels, bars, restaurants and tour agencies, advertise FairPlay in exchange for a listing on the organisation’s website and inclusion in the FairPlay club booklet, which offers discounts to members. This works as an effective, minimal-cost marketing tool as well as providing an extra service to students. Free weekly cooking classes and volleyball games provide students with a taste of Peruvian culture and add to a sense of community around the school.
If you would like more information on any aspect of FairPlay's work, please do not hesitate to get in touch.
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