About Us

About the Trust

The Anita Goulden Trust is a UK-based charity supporting vulnerable children and young people in northern Peru, with a focus on long-term care, education, and health needs.

The Trust was formed in 1987 after a group of friends in the UK learned about the work of Anita Goulden, a British woman who had dedicated her life to caring for children with serious health conditions in Piura, Peru. Her efforts, initially carried out independently, were later brought to wider attention through a newspaper article by author Nicholas Shakespeare and a television documentary. In 1991, the Trust became a registered charity in the UK.

Since then, the charity has continued to support the Anita Goulden Home in Piura, which provides residential care and support for children and young people with a range of physical and developmental challenges. Our work helps ensure consistent access to basic healthcare, nutrition, and, where possible, educational opportunities.

Our Approach to Governance

The Trust is managed by a volunteer committee in the UK. We have no paid staff, and administrative costs are kept to a minimum—limited to necessary items such as bank charges and postage. This allows us to direct as much funding as possible to the Home in Peru.

We work closely with a local Peruvian committee, also unpaid volunteers, that oversees daily operations at the Home. This collaboration ensures that funds are used appropriately and that care is delivered in line with local needs and expectations. All decisions are reviewed regularly by both committees to maintain clear oversight and accountability.

Long-term Sustainability 

Our aim is to offer steady, long-term support to the children and staff at the Anita Goulden Home. The Trust does not run multiple projects or shift its focus year to year. Instead, we remain committed to sustaining the work that Anita began—providing care, stability, and the best possible quality of life for the young people at the Home.

Since 1987, the charity has been able to continue this work solely through the generosity of individual donations. We do not receive government funding, and all support comes from individuals and groups who believe in the value of consistent, compassionate care for vulnerable children and young people in Peru.

About the Founder: Anita Goulden

Anita Goulden was a remarkable British woman whose extraordinary legacy lives on through her tireless work with vulnerable children and youth in northern Peru. Though virtually unknown in the United Kingdom, Anita dedicated her life to improving the lives of abandoned, sick, and impoverished children—many with disabilities—by providing not only care but also the chance for a better future through love, stability, and education.

Born in Manchester in 1919, Anita first travelled to Peru at the age of 38, recently widowed, to visit her brother. While walking through the town of Piura, in northern Peru, she came across a heart-wrenching sight: a young, abandoned boy, suffering from tuberculosis and meningitis, lying in blood on the street. That moment changed the course of her life.

She later reflected:
“In all my wildest dreams, I had never thought of human beings in such shocking conditions. The appalling poverty; the indifference of those around.”

From 1958 until her death in 2002, Anita Goulden devoted more than four decades to the care and protection of disadvantaged children and youth. Despite having little to no consistent funding and only the most basic resources, she created a safe haven where children could receive food, shelter, medical attention, and—critically—access to education. Her unwavering commitment helped hundreds of children overcome adversity, heal from trauma, and reclaim their dignity.

Today, the Anita Goulden legacy continues to inspire those working to uplift youth through compassionate care and inclusive education.

David V Thomas OBE – Chairman of the Trust and former banker who spent over 20 years living and working in the USA, Europe and Latin America and now lives in London. He a been a director of companies in the financial sector, is a past Chairman of Canning House, and still maintains contacts with South America.

Marcelo Scenna, CFA, is a banker with 30 years experience in Europe and Latin America. He is also Trustee of Pension funds and Director of a Financial Institution in the UK.

Hugo Goodson has been a teacher for fifteen years working in schools in Northamptonshire and London. He has had a lot of experience organising events within schools, and charitable and religious organisations. He spends much of the time travelling the world and has visited many of the charitable projects he supports.