Our Story
The Foundations
The foundations of The Last Shall Be First Scholarships are built upon its values of honesty, integrity, hard work, and perseverance. These values form the cornerstone of our foundation and are the very same that we look for in our scholarship recipients. So, with these values, they can carry the message forward and help build their lives and the lives of those around them.
The Story So Far
One of the organization’s Peruvian partners is a devout religious order, The Daughters of Saint Mary of the Heart of Jesus. Since 2016, they have helped identify the students and orphans who cannot afford post-secondary education. In 2022, the Juan Pablo II Orphanage became one of the latest partners of the organization. With the help of our dedicated partners, we identify the recipients of The Last Shall Be First scholarships each year and monitor student progress.
*Update: In 2023, we received enough donations to provide FULL 3- Year Technical Education Scholarships to 30 students in the following areas in Peru – Lurin, Chaclacayo, Piura, and Moyobamba.
The Future
The organization’s goals remain the same as they were in 2005 at its inception. The Last Shall Be First Scholarships have been providing impoverished students and orphans to pursue 3-year college level technical degree education in Peru. The goals for the future are to expand the scope of the organization and award more scholarships each year to these talented young people looking for an opportunity to better their lives.
The Lives Changed Are Reflections Of Our Efforts
Success Stories
Since 2005, the organization has helped a great number of young people transform their lives through the doors opened by education. These stories are testament to the difference a helping hand can make in someone’s life.
Jose was a 23-year-old living in a single-room residence with his mother and working minimum wage jobs, and barely surviving. But through the help of the O’Connors, he was able to get a degree in Accounting and change his life for the better. Today Juan is married with a son and manages the books in the accounting department of a factory. He is pursuing further studies in accounting to expand his knowledge and be a better father and community leader.
Juan is one of the first success stories of The Last Shall Be First Scholarships. Daniel and Irma met him in 2005 when he had just completed his years at the orphanage. Juan was a bright young man with dreams of going into nursing, but he did not have the financial means to manage it. The director of the orphanage was the one that asked them to help him. So, they provided him with a scholarship to get his nursing degree. His hard work and dedication allowed him to overcome obstacles and complete the degree while caring for his disabled brother. Today, he continues to work as a nurse and is married with two children.
Goretty lives with her aunt in the city of Huancayo, located in the central mountains. She had managed to complete three years of her five-year Law Degree by working and managing the finances herself. However, the pandemic severely impacted her ability to work, thus putting the completion of her degree at risk. The foundation agreed to assist her with the last two years of her degree, and she successfully graduated in April of 2022. She hopes to work as an attorney with the goal of becoming a judge.
What we do
The second main component is the acquisition of financial support. There are so many ways one can help transform the life of a Peruvian student. The details are covered on the donations page, and there are multiple options ranging from a one-time or monthly donation to sponsoring a student for three years. Please reach out to us directly for trust fund or endowment fund options
The last component is the actual provision of the scholarships to the recipients. The organization focuses on providing funding for three-year College level technical education that will enable students and orphans to acquire technical skills that will be instrumental in breaking cycles of poverty. A total investment of $1,500 per year can transform someone’s life and, through them, improve the communities they come from.
