Peru Dinners for Street Kids

Street Kid Dinners
One of the first things you notice about Iquitos is the large number of kids begging on the street. Some of the kids are sent into town to panhandle for their parents. Most of the kids are very poor and are looking for food. During the evening we were able to walk the streets in Iquitos. Our hotel was located in the center of downtown and close to the local action. During our stay in Iquitos we organized several dinners for the kids who live on the streets. We would make arrangements with a local restaurant that served plates of chicken and french fries. We then walked the streets and gave special kids an invitation to the secret restaurant at a specific time. We usually invited 12-15 kids so the food was prepared and ready at the arranged time. For some of the kids it was their first time eating in a restaurant. Sometimes we bought new t-shirts and clothes for the kids. We usually had a birthday cake for desert. These dinner parties were easy to organize when we had free time in the evenings. They are always the best way to meet local kids and some of the most memorable evenings of the tour.