Successful adaptation of the Vroom model in Peru boosts early childhood development for the most vulnerable children

• Thanks to the Bezos Family Foundation, Save the Children has empowered families in San Juan de Lurigancho to enhance their parenting and learning practices for their children.

With the goal of protecting the well-being of the most vulnerable children, Save the Children successfully adapted the Bezos Family Foundation’s Vroom model to the Peruvian context. This global program offers science-based tips to promote early childhood development through everyday activities and interactions.

In Peru, early childhood development faces multiple challenges. Only 44% of children under one year old experience adequate interactions with their caregivers (ENDES, 2022), which are essential for cognitive and emotional growth. This gap is even wider in vulnerable districts like San Juan de Lurigancho, where factors such as poverty, migration, and limited access to educational resources impact children’s opportunities for holistic growth.

To ensure families receive and apply the Vroom model, Save the Children integrated it into local education and health services used by families with children under five years old. This approach has strengthened parenting and learning practices, generating a positive and sustainable impact on educators, healthcare personnel, and local authorities.

The successful localization of Vroom required an in-depth diagnostic process, including information-gathering sessions with children, caregivers, public servants, and local authorities. Through this work, Save the Children in Peru adapted 360 Vroom tips to the socioeconomic and cultural context of the intervention areas.

“Adapting Vroom was not just a technical exercise but a participatory process that integrated the voices and needs of families and local professionals. This ensured that each tip could be easily applied, genuinely reflecting family realities and creating greater learning opportunities from early childhood,” said Nimia Morán, Education Specialist at Save the Children in Peru.

The contextualization strategy has proven effective in reaching the most vulnerable children, with more than 500 children and their families successfully receiving and applying Vroom tips. This was achieved through training over 400 caregivers and 26 health and education professionals, reinforcing implementation through home visits.

A key aspect of the initiative was integrating the Vroom model into local educational institutions’ teaching practices, with validation from the Regional Directorate of Education of Metropolitan Lima (DRELM) and support from UGEL 5. Encouraged by this positive experience, municipal authorities have expressed interest in incorporating Vroom into the district’s early childhood policies.

This project marks a milestone in promoting child development in Peru, leaving lasting capacities in the community and ready-to-use tools for replication and expansion. Save the Children and the Bezos Foundation reaffirm their commitment to children, demonstrating that community-centered interventions can transform lives and open pathways to a brighter future for children.