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VOLUNTEERING

Anyone can become a Peru's Challenge volunteer. You don't have to have ever spoken a word of Spanish, worked with children or even thought about volunteering.

Our programs suit all age groups and cater for all needs. Our youngest volunteer was 3 years old and our oldest has been 74 years old.

Have a look at our volunteer overview.

As long as you have an interest in any of the following:

working with children
construction and renovation
health and nutrition
gardening
travel and meeting people
learning to speak Spanish
living and working with the indigenous people of Peru
organising fundraising events
teaching or helping with: reading, writing, English, art and craft, dance, drama, music and sport.

Watch a video on Michaela's experience. Volunteered in 2006 - click here.

The ability to speak Spanish is an advantage but not essential. Our volunteer travel package includes a Spanish language course and most of our Peruvian staff can speak some English. We advise all volunteers with no Spanish experience to enrol in a beginners course before they leave home, just to have the basics.

You can choose which specific project you would like to work on or divide your time between all of them.

GROUP AND FAMILY volunteering

We welcome friends and groups and offer discounts on three or more people wanting to volunteer together. If you would like to volunteer as a group, please send and email to volunteer@peruschallenge.com and we will organise a discount for you.

We can also organise a special program tailored to your needs particularly if you are a school group, including family homestays or camping accommodation at the school, shorter programs, English teaching programs - what ever you require.

We even have programs designed for kids and families. Read our information on family volunteering.

VOLUNTEER TASKS

We ask that each volunteer contributes around 25-30 hours per week at their designated placement. The rest of the time is yours to enjoy.

Generally, the day starts at 9.00am with the kids at school until 1.30pm. You can lead classes in English, sport, art, dance, music and drama. If you are not interested in teaching, you can assist with development work such as building, renovating, plumbing, painting, cleaning and gardening.

Each day, we have to help the kids with general hygiene - washing hands and faces and cleaning teeth.

In the afternoons, volunteers have a choice of activities: building and development work, conducting house visits through our House Challenge program with our social worker, organising extra curricular activities, attending Spanish classes or having some free time to explore Cusco.

Three afternoons a week, from 3.00pm, we run craft workshops for the mothers of the communities. Volunteers can help instruct with weaving, sewing, jewelry making, pottery, card making, knitting, etc. During this time, we like also work with the kids so they are not disrupting their mums. We run an afternoon program called Camp Puma. Here volunteers can help with classes in English, sport, art & craft, dance, music and drama, cooking, woodwork.

At a set time, once a week, we have a volunteer meeting together to talk about your previous week and the timetable for the coming week. This way you can pre-arrange the hours you would like to work on which days, what tasks you would like to complete and when you have your Spanish lessons.

Example of timetable

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

9am-1.30pm

Lessons
Painting
Hygiene
Gardening
Construction

Project time

Lessons
Painting
Hygiene
Gardening
Construction

Volunteer Meeting

Lessons
Painting
Hygiene
Gardening
Construction

3pm-6.30pm

Mothers Group
Camp Puma

Spanish lesson

House visit

Mothers Group
Camp Puma

House Visits

Spanish lesson

Usually, once a month, we organise a school excursion and a special afternoon/evening for the whole community which the volunteers help organise. This may be anything from a special visit from a dance company or a video night, to trainee hairdressers coming to the village to cut everyone's hair for free. And every so often, volunteers will be asked to assist with organising local fundraising events.

Your spare time and weekends are yours to enjoy. Depending on the length of your placement, you will also have free days to take longer trips.

Peru's Challenge is affiliated with Ultimate Tours - a tour company based in Cuzco that can organise tours to anywhere in Peru for you. Just ask us any time during your placement and they will organise everything for you.

WHEN TO VOLUNTEER

Most months of the year, Peru's Challenge runs its standard program which includes: school classes, construction, social & community development, Mothers Group.

Please look at the following monthly overview for special projects and holidays.

January
Summer school classes and standard program.
Amount of construction will depend on rain.
Mini-olympics.

February
Program closed.

March
School starts in the first week of March. Organising starting packs for all kids and teachers. Standard program.

April
Standard program.
Easter celebrations.

May
Standard program.

June
Standard program.

July
Standard program up until July 25 when school holidays start for two weeks.
Stocktake, cleaning, renovating school.
During school holidays we will continue with construction, social & community development and Mothers Group.

August
Construction, social & community development and Mothers Group.
Stocktake, cleaning, renovating school.
School classes resume August 11. Organising starting packs for all kids and teachers.

September
Standard program.
Student Day celebrations.

October
Standard program.
Peru's Challenge anniversary celebrations.

November
Standard program.

December
School classes up until Dec 19.
Stocktake, cleaning, renovating school.
During school holidays we will continue with construction, social & community development and Mothers Group.
Christmas celebrations.

What to expect

Volunteering

The experience of volunteering with Peru's Challenge will hold in your memory forever. Along with feelings of immense satisfaction and pride in the difference you are making will be times of frustration and sadness.

Rarely does anything ever happen on time. It is the 'Peruvian way' which started way back with the Inca kings - they never work to a deadline but always get things done when they need to be. You must have patience and understand this way of working.

You must also have the ability to understand where your help is needed and also respect the culture of the Peruvian people - things will be different to what you are used to at home. You must not force your cultural ideals onto the Peruvian people even if you think it will be better for them. They have lived like they do for thousands of years. We are not here in Peru to change their way of living but rather to improve it - little by little.

Expect also to be overwhelmed with the love and affection of the children and families in our communities. They are amazing people and for you just to be there with them puts a huge smile on their face.

How to act

Peru's Challenge volunteers must be mindful of the country they are volunteering in. Sometimes volunteers find it difficult adjusting to the Peruvian culture. You must always remember that we are not here to introduce our cultural ways, rather we are here to learn from the Peruvian people and assist where ever possible.

Volunteers must never give anything directly to the children. A better way is to first speak with Peru's Challenge about your gift or idea so we can discuss with you the best approach. Our philosophy is to present the idea or object to a teacher or parent so they can introduce it when they think it is the right time. We do not want children depending on us and putting their hands out every time they see a 'gringo' expecting to receive a present.

The kids love affection and it is one of the best things you can give. But our volunteers must always keep in mind that when they are teaching, kids see them as an authoritive figure so they should not be picking the kids up and swinging them around or showering them with hugs. Think about how your teacher, doctor or nurse, behaved with you when you were young.

Also, don't go overboard with taking photos of the kids and don't ever promise to print your photos to give to individual kids. It is not fair that some are confident enough to ask you and others are not. Rather than give out individual photos, we organise photo boards at the school for everyone to enjoy.

Tours and traveling

All of the tours included in the Peru's Challenge program are completed within the designated timeframe for each placement. We always organise the details and timing for each tour in the first week when the group is together.

Often we will organise extra activities during weekends which are optional. Each volunteer attending will just need to pay a minimal amount for transport, entry and food expenses.

We are also affiliated with Ultimate Tours - a travel agency based in Cuzco who can organise any specific tour or private trip that you are interested in (a lot cheaper than what you will get at home). Just have a chat to us when you are ready and we can organise all the details either before you leave home or when you are with us in Peru.

Volunteer house

The volunteer houses are very comfortable and safe. Each of the two houses have five bedrooms, with sheets, pillows and blankets, two bathrooms with hot water showers, a living room area with a television, DVD and CD player (all donated by previous volunteer groups), a sunny garden with hammocks, and a full equiped kitchen with an oven, fridge, microwave and a water purifying system.

All of our volunteers are plesantly surprised when they first see the house and some comment that it is better than their house at home!

It is located in a safe area with 24-hour security guards (they are not essential but the area has set up a 'neighbourhood watch' program similar to home which also provides employment for the guards).

More information

Have a read through our frequently asked questions. If you still have more questions, please contact us directly.

Volunteer Testimonials

Garry and Donna Brewer volunteered in May 2008

My experience as a volunteer with Peru´s Challenge has been particularly satisfying for a number of reasons. Foremost are the achievements of the program. Peru´s Challenge is a grass roots organization working with children and seriously underprivileged members of communities around Cuzco, with special emphasis on the education and health of children and the alleviation of individual cases of destitution. The aim is always to encourage self-sufficiency.

For us volunteers to participate in the teaching of those children and to assist in the building of additional school buildings is a real privilege. Perhaps even more touching on a personal basis is the assistance given by Peru´s Challenge, through its professional local social worker, we volunteers and other sponsors, is the life changing assistance provided to those in dire need – children without parents, mothers without financial support, old people seeing out their last days unable to care for themselves physically or financially.

Then there is the camaraderie of the volunteers and local staff. This is combined with a wonderful tourism program based around the fantastic scenery of the area and the Inca ruins and customs. Through this, volunteers live the Inca experience which is so proudly promoted by Peru´s Challenge.

And all this is achieved by a few dedicated people living locally who draw on the good will of volunteers and sponsors. I thoroughly recommend Peru´s Challenge to volunteers willing to take the rough with the smooth, and to sponsors everywhere.

Claes 31, volunteered from Sweden in May 2008

It’s important, when working with children, to have a 100% engagement. Peru’s Challenge is an organization which truly shows this quality. It’s an great inspiration to see the energy Peru’s Challenge and the participating volunteers show every single day, both with the children and when working with the community. I’m very happy and proud to have been involved in such a great organization!

ROSA and BEBBEN. 50 somethings from Sweden - volunteered in March and April 2007.

We are really missing Peru. Not a day goes by without thinking of you, the kids and their families up in Pumamarca, the volunter group and all the other wonderful people we have met. We loved it....and will never forget our time there.

We believe in Peru's Challenge. It is an amazing organisation you have started. The idea, the purpose and aims are incredible. We are really impressed with the organisation.

The most astonishing is that the biggest purpose is achieved - to include and help the community to help themselves and always involve them and to work together in the projects.

Pumamarca community must be extremely happy to have you there...
And I hope you will have the strength to continue the work in other villages around Cusco....

EMMA 25 from Australia - volunteered in July 2006
I was and continue to be so impressed with this organisation. The down to earth manner which the organisation and its staff conduct themselves and the work that they do is in my opinion the organisations greatest strength.

Perhaps the most significant aspect of the orgnasiation is that at no stage did i feel like that community was not involved in what was happening. The fact that every aspect of the project is disscussed with the community as well as the clear involvement of the community lends this organisation to the cutting edge of not for profit organisations.

There was always something going on with in the community and Peru's Challenge allowed us to be involved as much or as litttle as we wanted. The organisation is making a real difference and the manner in which this is being done is clearly visable to those involved and those in the community.

I think living in a house together is one of the aspects that really makes the Peru's Challenge experience really unique and worthwhile. You really felt like you were apart of the community as you were living there and not away in some tourist hotel. I loved it. Spending time as a family with the rest of the group was great, living together helped form life long friendships and the opportunity to share in each other experiences.

MICHAELA, 35 from America - volunteered in July 2006
Peru’s Challenge in general: I think the work Peru's Challenge is doing is amazing and I give you all a great deal of credit!

KIM, 44 from Australia - volunteered in May 2006.

Peru's Challenge is a wonderful organisation and the altruistic purpose and vision behind it are the building blocks for such wonderful change ... That is what I liked about Peru's Challenge - that the people involved with it don't just come in and lecture to the communitiy and do their stuff and leave. The great thing is that Peru's Challenge consults with the community ... resulting in motivation, commitment and deep involvement in the project. When the work is done and the school is standing on its own two feet and the community is supporting it fully - that is when Peru's Challenge moves on.

CAROLINE, 21 from America - volunteered in May 2006.

There is really nothing bad I can say about my experience. I can truly say it was an experience of a lifetime and I am so positive about it that I am going to return. I loved every minute I was there.

HEATHER, 52 from Australia - volunteered in April 2006.

I think Peru's Challenge is an amazing organisation. Not only are the people involved in the company, but the ideas behind their aims make so much sense. I thank you Jane, Selvy and Ginny for being so supportive in every way. Our time over in Peru was incredible and I know my family will remember the time forever.

IAN, 55 from Australia - volunteered in April 2006.

I don't think there is a lot I can offer when commenting on improvements of the program. The staff, accommodation and tours were all great. Maybe the hot water in the shower could be more consistent ... only joking this wasn't really a problem and it all adds to the experience.

BEN, 25 from Australia - volunteered in April 2006

First of all I just wanted to thank the both of you and the organisation as a whole for providing my family and I with a wonderful experience!

I really enjoyed construction, maybe because I was learning as I went along and was just so happy to be out of the office - I guess the more that you can provide people with different experience than what they get in there everyday life the better.

Tennis was a highlight for me and although I have coached all over the world this was somthing very unique. I dont think it was the tennis itself, but just the fact that the kids were out of their regular day to day activities.

To see the classroom just about finished was also a highlight and to update people on the developments that they have worked on is I beleive a strength of the program.

I have told many people about it and no doubt I will be back some day. All in all a wonderful time and one that I will continue to promote to my friends all around the world.

For more testimonials click here.

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