Zaña is the name of a small town as well as a district, a valley and a river. The town is located 45 km south of Chiclayo, 770 km north of Lima, in the coastal region. It was founded in 1563 by the Spaniards and was once destined to be the capital of Peru. But it was destroyed in 1720 by El Niño, resulting in the exodus of the Spaniards and sharp decline of the city. Now the village of Zaña houses about 4,000 people living mostly from agriculture. Traditional crops consist of rice, sugar and corn. In recent years, a few large farming enterprises exporting peppers and fruits have started operating in the Valley, providing more employment opportunities with better working conditions. As result, a growing number of internal migrants mostly from the Andes are trying to establish themselves in the Valley. They are often illiterate squatters who build their own houses of sticks and mud (adobe), with no electricity, water or sewage. They wish for a better future for their children. The majority of our students come from such families.
Zaña is located on the coast of Peru. It is 45 km south of Chiclayo and 770 km north of Lima.
In May 2017, the bridge that many of our students use was reconstructed after it was washed away due to El Nino.
