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Volunteer in Peru
Simply the best volunteer program in Peru!
While in Cusco you will be staying in the home of Yure Chavez, together with his wife
Brenda and their son Michael. There’s a volunteers' apartment at Yure’s with 3 bedrooms, 3
baths and living area, plus kitchen. We’ll provide breakfast and dinner each day but you are
welcome to fix yourself some snacks in the kitchen as well. Each bedroom is equipped for
double occupancy (two twin beds).
You’ll be living in a real Peruvian neighborhood while at Yure and Brenda’s. From their house
you can walk to the main plaza in about 30 minutes.
We will make all the arrangements for you to transfer from Lima to Cusco, pick you up at
the airport and get you settled in. Then we will show you around Cusco so you can navigate
the city (which is easy) and introduce you at your volunteer placement.
Since Yure is a professional guide, he can answer any questions you have on tours of Inca
sites and Cathedrals.
If you have any further questions about our volunteer work in Peru, please contact our Volunteer Coordinator at
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
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Welcome to Cusco!
Cusco is situated in the Huatanay River valley at an elevation of 11,000ft. It is the gateway to
the Sacred Valley where the primary Inca sites are located. Cusco is a beautiful city with
many great cafes, shops, restaurants and museums. There are several Inca site in and nearby
to Cusco and many Spanish cathedrals in Cusco to visit. It’s really a great place to be.
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More Volunteer Opportunities for You:
We have three areas for our volunteers to choose from:
ELIM ORPHANAGE -
ELIM is an orphanage situated in a poor part of Cusco, Peru. There are 20 orphans in
this home ranging in age from 7-18 years old. This orphanage is privately supported
and provides a simple home to these children who are orphans due to bad social and
economic problems with their families. They are what is called “social orphans” meaning
they have biological families living, but unable or unwilling to support these children.
This is a very poor orphange ! They do have 3 old computers and the children make
handicrafts that they sell. This home needs help to teach the children English or
organize activities for them like theater, sports etc.
REQUIREMENTS: Some Spanish would be very useful here. Not required however.
Volunteer Days - Monday through Friday either mornings or afternoons are best.
JUAN PABLO II ORPHANAGE & KINDERGARTEN -
This home is supported by the Cusco Regional Government. There are 60 orphans in
this home ranging in age from 1-18 years old. 80% of residents are children and 20%
are teens. These children are orphans due to bad social and economic problems
with their families and were sent by the courts to live here. Again, they are what is called
“social orphans” meaning they have biological families living, but unable or unwilling to
support these children. The children live in “apartments” in groups of 10, with each group
having a house mother who takes care of them.
Work Shops they have now and ongoing, are: bakery, ceramics, clothes making (knitting, sewing, etc.), computers, and they also have a small farm where they raise guinea pigs, rabbits and grow some vegetables.
REQUIREMENTS: Some Spanish would be very useful here too. Volunteers can help the children and the mothers in any of the described workshops. Help is also needed for nannies, nurses, and tutors.
MEDICAL CLINIC -
There’s a small and simple clinic located in “Tica Tica”, one of the poorest neighborhoods in Cusco. The clinic rents the facility from the neighborhood, and therefore they work mostly with the neighbors and farmers that come from nearby villages. On average, the clinic sees 50-60 patients per week.
The clinic has 2 doctors, 2 dentists, 1 obstetrician, 3 nurses, 1 chief of laboratory, and 1 secretary; all of whom are volunteers. They are also involved in disaster prevention and other social work.
The clinic performs basic medical procedures, dental work, some obstetrician care, birth control counseling, etc. They send people who need surgeries to the hospitals, as they don’t have the finances or facility to conduct surgeries.
The clinic is in need of doctors, dentists, obstetricians; basically any volunteers who can perform any kind of medical work. The clinic also needs administrative volunteers for the office.
Your Placement Fee of $200 includes:
Placement for your volunteering duration of one to four weeks. [This is a 'per month' fee]
Making your arrangements and reservations to get from Lima to
Cusco, including making arrangements for you to overnight in Lima if needed (cost of airport pickup and hotel not
included).
Pick up from Cusco airport and city tour. Introduction at your placement and other assistance as you may need
from time to time while living in Cusco.
4 Hour Spanish introduction course.
Your Homestay Fee of $90 per week includes:
Affordable homestay at our own volunteer house with hosts Brenda and Yure Chavez, which includes breakfast and dinner each day.
A minimum homestay of two weeks is required.
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Ready, Set, Go!
- Click on the "Donate Now" Button to Pay Fees & Homestay Costs
- Why not WIKI it?
- Visit our Volunteer Blog to see more of our volunteers and their experiences
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More About Peru:
View Larger Map
The Weather:
The weather on April to October is very comfortable, warm and dry. The temperature in
this season goes from 5.0º to 20º Celsius.
This rainy season starts on November and it lasts until May; at the beginnings of this season,
the rain is light and as the season continues the rain becomes more intense during the
months of January through March.
There isn’t too much uniformity between summer and winter. Normally in winter is cold at
night and during the first hours in the morning the temperature raises until the noon. On
sunny days the temperature reaches 20ºC.
We recommend you take warm clothing and also rain wear to the rainy season. But take
things you can layer as the chill of the morning can turn to a warm day fast.
The Altitude:
Cusco is approximately over 3,399 m. . (11151,44 feet above the level sea) high, is for this
reason that Cusco is considered one of the highest cities in all the world.
Don't under estimate the effects of the altitude or the effectiveness of Diamox tablets to
alleviate the symptoms and accelerate your acclimatization. Obtain through prescription prior
to leaving home, if you forgot it, no problem, there are lots of pills that will cure the altitude
sickness and almost all of them are sold in Cusco. If after all this; the sickness persists, a coca
tea will be a good idea to relieve you. (Don’t worry about it, the altitude sickness is perfectly
natural).
The Population:
The number of people living in Cusco is of 304,152
The Currency:
The official currency of Peru is “El Nuevo Sol” (s/.) divided in 100 cents. Coins as 10, 20 and
50 cents as 1, 2 and 5 Nuevo Sol are in circulation and 10, 20, 50, 100 and 200 Nuevo Sol
are also in circulation. (Be careful about obtaining bogus coins and notes).
The American Dollar is accepted in the majority of commercial locals, restaurants and service
stations along the day. There are Foreign Exchange Office that uses all the kinds of currency,
especially with American Dollars and Euros. Peruvians do not like damaged foreign currency
however and this can be a real problem. If you have torn bills (even slightly) or bills with
writing on them of any kind, it is doubtful you will be able to exchange them. Your best bet is
take an ATM card and withdraw funds as needed in the local currency.
Some restaurants, hotels and establishments accept Credit Cards: Visa, Master Card, Diners
and American Express. The use of Travelers Checks is limited because a few of banks and
hotels accept them; ask before to use them to know if they are accepted.
Banks:
The banks attend the public from Monday to Friday from 9:00 to 18:00 and on Saturdays
only to mid day, generally.
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Travel Insurance Notice
Travel Insurance is NOT included with either The Mountain Fund Charity Trek or Volunteer Placement Program. However, Travel Insurance is REQUIRED for all Trek4Good travelers, and HIGHLY RECOMMENDED for all volunteers. The Mountain Fund recommends using MEDEX as your travel insurance provider. Click here to learn more about the services and coverage offered by MEDEX.
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