When the Pura Vida Foundation traveled to Peru for the first time in 2006.  Our hopes were to document and photograph the indigenous people of Cusco.  But we were introduced to a shelter for exploited and abused young girls.  And from that first day getting to know the kids living in that shelter we knew we had to do something.  And for the first four years we worked with that government run shelter to try to improve their time and way of live.  Thanks to donations we set up programs and workshops to try to rehabilitate and improve the lives of these children.  The Foundation would set up weekly field trips, and photography classes.  We also would support the shelter by providing food, clothes, art and school supplies to this very underfunded government run shelter.  After spending so much time working with the kids and staff we knew that those children deserved more than what they were receiving.  That is why in 2009 we opened our doors to sexually exploited and abused young girls, and the Pura Vida Women’s Shelter was born!!!