Peru honors Spanish citizen Cristina Matossian for work with vulnerable children

The Peruvian government has honored Cristina Matossian Osorio de Pardo, a Spanish citizen, with the Order of Merit for Distinguished Service. The award recognizes her nearly four decades of dedicated social work in Peru, focusing on providing care for abandoned and unprotected children through foster homes.

Matossian received the honor in the degree of Commander from Peru's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Carlos Pareja, at a ceremony in Lima. The Spanish Ambassador to Peru, Alejandro Abellán García de Diego, was also present. Matossian expressed her deep emotion and pride in the recognition, dedicating it to her team and supporters. She stated her profound gratitude for Peru, a country she "venerates" and which has provided her with "absolute support" since her arrival.

Originally from Madrid, Matossian has lived in Peru since 1988. She began her volunteer work in 1992 and later took charge of a foster home for abandoned children through the Spanish organization Nuevo Futuro. In 1995, she established a Peruvian branch of Nuevo Futuro, serving as its president. Under her leadership, the organization's five foster homes have cared for 807 minors. Of these, 490 have been adopted, 203 reunited with their biological families, 46 transferred to other institutions, and 68 currently reside in the homes.

Beyond direct care, Matossian has also led an "Infant Abandonment Prevention" program since 2008, reaching over 14,000 adolescents and thousands of parents and educators in Lima schools. These initiatives are largely funded by the Peruvian version of the charity event 'El Rastrillo' and private donations. Matossian's prior accolades include the Order of Civil Merit from the King of Spain in 1999 and an award from the Spanish Chamber of Commerce in Peru in 2011.