Path of the Heart is excited to announce that the Universal Heart Restaurant previously in Ollantaytambo is moving to the village of Corao. The restaurant was started in Ollantaytambo to feed the children who walked hours from their villages in the hills to come to school in Ollanta. The schools did not provide lunch so the children were often without food and found it hard to concentrate, sometimes falling asleep at their desks. For years Path of the Heart has provided a free hot meal and often school supplies enabling the children to make the most of their school experience and giving them energy for their long walk back home at the end of the day. Happily the government of Peru is now providing food for the children at schools in Ollanta. Since the restaurant is no longer needed at that location it was closed at the end of December, 2014.
Unfortunately, other villages have not received food in their schools and Path of the Heart wanted to continue its mission to feed children and help them make the most of their educational experience. The village of Corao was selected at the site of the next Universal Heart Restaurant. Corao is located between Cuzco and Pisac and has a population of approximately 400 families. Like Ollanta, children who do not live in the village walk hours to attend school there. The new restaurant will continue to serve between 80 and 100 children five days per week all year long. The restaurant is located in a newly completed building with its own kitchen, bath and dining room. Our beloved Elizabeth who has operated the restaurant in Ollanta will continue to operate the new restaurant. It will be open Monday, February 2, 2015. The village of Corao is grateful to Path of the Heart and has welcomed everyone. As soon as the restaurant is opened, pictures will be posted to the website.
We are so grateful to our donors and supporters for continuing to make the restaurant possible and invite you to visit and meet Elizabeth and the children and let us thank you in person.