The Cajamarca Region is one of the poorest in Peru, with 63.8% of the total population living in extreme poverty (INEI 2007).

Cajamarca, capital of the homonymous region, is a beautiful colonial city nestled in the northern highlands of Peru at 2,709 meters above sea level. The city and its surrounding areas host a population of about 162,000, although the actual number of inhabitants is much higher than the official count, as many residents are not registered by authorities (INEI 2007).

Incawasi operates in Cajamarca city and all the children who attend the center come from the rural and marginal urban areas of Cajamarca.