Volunteer in Peru - Cusco | Most Affordable Projects

Working in the clinic in Cusco was interesting and opened my eyes to how other communities live and get their care. Leaned a lot about what it means to be a doctor and the importance of going into medicine. Host family was very nice, made me feel at home. Homestay allowed me to experience life in a way that I am not used to so that I could see how other people have to live. Cusco is a great city with much to offer from history to culture. Very safe, never felt afraid. Very affordable city. Not too hard to acclimate even at the very high altitudes the city is at. Transportation is very good and affordable both by taxi and bus. Many chances to travel to places such as Machu Picchu. Support staff was very responsive to any problems such as sickness.

I will defenitley cherish this trip for the rest of my life. Im so thankful for the oppurtunity to experience and live in a culture so different from mine. I especially enjoyed our project and working with the adorable children I will miss them so much!This trip truly made me realize that this is something u would like to do in my future, volunteering and working with kids. Even though i got extremly sick i will definetly be back! Our host mother was so sweet and I will also miss her very much she always made very good food and made sure we were happy and taken care of! In the begining the water in our shower was very cold but in the end we figured it out and we were able to have a warm shower!
Cusco city was also a wondeful city filled wity delicous food wonderful people and traditions! I will remeber this trip forever!

I loved going to MachuPicchu and the Rainbow Mountains. I would hope to not get sick next time, but overall I had a lot of fun and learnt a lot about the culture. Working with the kids was a very rewarding experience as well - I was sad that I couldn’t spend more time with them. My host family was amazing, Edith was the extremely sweet and helpful to us, as well as her daughter. Getting sick wasn’t fun, but it didn’t inhibit the excitement of the trip. It was really incredible to get to know the culture or Peru and discover new food and dances and meet new people. I definitely want to come back to Peru one day. I also feel like I was able to practice my Spanish and feel more comfortable with my speaking, writing, and listening. I definitely recommend this program to people who want to practice their Spanish and learn about a new culture.

Going into my program in Peru, I was excited and extremely nervous. But once I got to the city and met the staff and my host family, and got settled in, it was amazing. The people, the culture, and the city itself were all amazing. And the trips on the weekends were all very fun, the guides were great, and meeting so many new people from so many different countries was amazing. Spectacular place to spend your time doing good for others and bettering yourself at the same time. Cusco, Peru is my new favorite place in the world. I highly recommend this trip to anyone who wants to see the world, experience new things, and help others at the same time. For solo travelers, couples, retirees, and anyone in between, this program will fit every type of person.

(English translation): I spent 2 weeks in Peru, it was really amazing I recommend. Already the project with children (3 to 5 years) was indescribable, the feeling of giving them a little help and love is just great. Then 'my family was very endearing, I talked a lot with each of them and I have good memories! The food was also very good and they suited my tastes. Finally, the excursions to Machu Picchu and the Sacred Valley were impressive. Everything was very well organized and I had a great time, really. In the afternoons I went to visit the city which has lots of places to see! I recommend 100%, a significant social impact with visiting places around! Perfect
Do not hesitate, come and discover the Peruvian culture, the city of Cusco, the Inca monuments! And enjoy to help children in 'need :)

(Original text):
j’ai passé 2 semaines au Pérou, c’etait Vraiment incroyable je recommande. Déjà le projet avec les enfants (3 a 5 ans) était indescriptible, la sensation de leur donner un peu d’aide et d’amour est juste géniale. Ensuite’ ma famille était très attachante, j’ai beaucoup discuté avec chacun d’eux et j’ai de bons’ souvenirs ! La nourriture était aussi très bonne et ils s’adaptaient a mes goûts. Pour finir, les excursions au Machu Picchu et à la Vallée sacrée etait impressionnante. Tout était très bien organisé et j’ai passé un super moment, vraiment. Les après midis j’allais visité la ville qui a plein de lieux à voir ! Je recommande a 100%, un impact social important avec la visite des endroits autour! Parfait
N’hésitez plus, venez découvrir la culture péruvienne, la ville de Cusco, les monuments incas ! Et profitez en pour aider des enfants dans’ le besoin :)

Overall, I had an amazing time here. The staff were very patient with me and taught me how to perform various tasks in the clinic. I worked mostly in the department of niño sano and they showed me how to measure the weights, heights, and head perimeters of the babies. They also let me help with the vaccination of babies. It was a lot more paperwork and documentation than I had expected but I enjoyed learning and experiencing the amount of work the staff have to do every day. I was able to learn more about the health system in Peru because they let me perform various paperwork and documentation. I had taken Spanish for 4 years in high school so I was able to understand and speak enough Spanish to communicate with the staff. I recommend that people interested in this program should have a basic grasp of Spanish going in as most staff only speak Spanish (only one or two spoke a little bit of English).

I realized how the healthcare was so inaccessible to so many. I also realized how the economic state of the country can lead so many people to violence and poor healthcare. The small number of technology available was also very shocking. It was a very humbling experience to witness so many unfortunate families and children. I would love to come back after becoming a medical professional some day and treat them too.

When I saw people waiting in line, it broke my heart to see that there wasn't a technology that seemed to expedite any process. there was only one doctor and several nurses that shuffled papers around that somehow one of them eventually gets lost. However, the one important thing I learned in this clinic is that we can gain happiness from the smallest things in life. It's not about going big or becoming successful, but to build relationships that we can both help and depend on. These little things are eventually what help us to become a better person with a better perspective of the world.

I had a really great time volunteering in Peru. It made me understand the real problems that healthcare workers and normal citizens in Peru face. Lack of iron supplements, lack of computer software for patient record, and a large group of underprivileged families working to vaccinate their babies. I would not have understood these problems without fully experiencing the Cusco city and volunteering in a health clinic outside of US. I only wished that I had some Spanish background to communicate with the clinic employees and help them better.
I also was able to travel to Machu Picchu, and this was an invaluable experience, something that I would have never done if I did not volunteer here. Cusco city was also amazing with its amalgam of Inca and Spanish culture. Food was especially cheap and amazing!