The sun blazes over the hills above Lima. The air smells like dust and paint. Everyone is tired but proud; the kind of pride you can feel before anyone says a word.

I didn’t grow up around construction sites. For me, this world always felt distant until I saw what real accomplishment looks like.

I am standing outside a newly built school with the Gleeds Peru team, part of the Bicentennial Schools Programme, a partnership between the UK and Peru bringing 92 new schools to life. The programme is led by the Peruvian government, with technical assistance provided by both Gleeds and Mace as part of a joint venture agreement. What started as a drawing on a screen is now a place that will change hundreds of children’s lives.