Friends of Nuestras Raices, a non profit organization in Portland, Maine was established in February of 2004. Our mission is to carry out activities of social support to our under served community in Lima, Peru and to provide financial assistance and support to Nuestras Raices (Our Roots).

Nuestras Raices (Our Roots) a grass roots organization in Lima, Peru, started its work in 1991 and was established in July of 2003 as a non-profit. We foster creativity through the promotion of art, traditional culture and folklore. We work to create a more just society and to live together in democracy, solidarity and peace with the goal of improving the social-economic condition of the San Martin de Porres community. We promote the development of the physical and mental health of our community to prevent the use of drugs and the participation in gangs of our youth.

Some of our past projects have included:

• Teaching children the importance of their native culture through traditional music, dance and theater. Nuestras Raices encourages children to access their ancestor's strength and wisdom.
• Kite making and flying, fostering children and adult bonding. We have witnessed these children achieving a sense of accomplishment and self worth.
• Day trips to the country, as many of these kids have never been out of the city.
• A sponsored soccer team to encourage community building.
• Environmental education, now critical in Peru.
• Food drives for families recoveriing from floods or earthquakes, a frequent phenomena in Peru.
• Painting and Drawing. A recent Art Program funded by Art Exchange for Just Peace (AEJP) of Portland, Maine USA. Children ages 8 through 16 for the first time in our history will explore painting and drawing as another form of self expression using nature as a source of inspiration.