Nutrition & Public Health Peru

WHY we need you in Peru

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HOW can you help?

WHAT you can do?

Why Involvement Volunteers International?

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  PROJECT NAME: HEALTHCARE, PERU

LOCATION: CUZCO, PERU

  START DATES: WEEKLY (SAT/SUN ARRIVALS)

  ACCOMMODATION: HOME STAY

  MIN DURATION: ONE WEEK

  MIN AGE: 18+

  SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS: YEARS 1 & 2 OF MEDICAL SCHOOL, PRE-MED, HEALTH SCIENCES

Overview

This program is more sutied to pre-med students, or those in the first and second year of medical school (our other medical program in Peru caters to those in years 3 and 4 of medical school). 

The project will be sisuated in specialised living facilities and involves volunteering with redidents who are physically or mentally disabled, assisting elderly patients, or working with HIV infected children.  You will help with the all round care of the patients, including general care and companionship, distributing medications, feeding, bathing, and ensuring patients’ overall well-being. This may also include changing beds, conversation-talk therapy, workshops (e.g. exercise, dental care), and even arts and crafts.

You can also create medical campaigns to provide healthcare, as well as dental and hygiene education, to underprivileged communities under the supervision of  local medical staff.

It’s of significant advantage if you’re able to speak some Spanish (but this is not mandatory).  You’ll need to provide evidence of prior learning during the application process

Location

Cusco, Peru –  easily one of the top 5 ancient civilization centers in the world, is also home to immense scenic beauty, bio-diversity and incredible culture.  On this project, you’ll be situated in Cuzco City. 

Project Tasks

  • General care in assisted living facilities
  • Assist with all facets of caring for patients, including companionship, medications, feeding, bathing, and ensuring patients’ overall well-being. 
  • Running medical campaigns to provide healthcare, as well as dental and hygiene education

Food & Accommodation

Your accommodation will be in home Stay’s with middle class Peruvian families in Cuzco. You’ll likely be placed centrally or approx 10-15 min walk to the central volunteer & training centre. You can request to either share with other volunteers or have a private room in the home stay.  For shared rooms, you’ll normally share with 1-3 other volunteers of the same gender and age group.

All host families are very experienced in hosting international volunteers and go through a rigorous process to ensure very high quality standards are met. These homes have electricity, western style toilets, running water, bed linen & basic amenities such as clean drinking water. Hot showers are less common however!

You’ll be provided a key to the house and are free to come and go as you please while being respectful of the house rules of the family. WiFi is available at some home stay’s however most volunteers will purchase a data plan for cheap to be used with their own device as required. Most families are happy to help with laundry, but you should expect to pay around US $2 per load if going to a local laundry service.

Breakfast & dinner are included each day. Peruvian food is very nice! Rice, beans, and corn are popular ingredients, and fresh root vegetables like cassava, taro, and sweet potato are in most dishes. You can also expect some fruits and vegetables, such as avocados (palta) accompanied by spicy aji salsa.

All prices in USD
  • 1 Week - $520
  • 2 Weeks - $865
  • 3 Weeks - $1125
  • 1 Month - $1370
  • 2 Months - $2390
  • 3 Months - $3390
Home Stays
What's Included
  • Accommodation
  • Meals
  • Airport Pickup
  • Local Transportation
  • 1 Day Orientation
  • 24/7 In-Country Support
  • Project Materials & Equipment
  • Pre-departure Expert Advice
  • Preperation Tools & Checklists
  • Certificate of Completion

Testimonials...

FAQ

If you are studying in a medical field and want to gain real world experience in professional hospitals and clinics in Peru this is an incredible experience that will likely equip you with new skills and confidence as you learn from qualified medical staff.  Additionally, you can be assured that your efforts are actually making a difference providing vital support to under-funded and over-worked hospital staff.    

  • Accommodation
  • Breakfast & Dinner daily 
  • Arrival airport transfer (Sat/Sun arrivals)
  • Filtered drinking water, coffee & tea
  • 1 day orientation
  • In country 24/7 support & emergency assistance
  • Fundraising support
  • University course credits (where applicable)
  • Certificate of Completion
  • Airfares
  • Travel Insurance
  • Some daily transportation to/from the project (if applicable – approx US$1-3 p/day)
  • Tours, Souvenirs & spending money
An in-depth orientation is included for all volunteers. This orientation is designed as a 1 day overview to help ensure you are equipped with the necessary info to effectively work with the local people and community.   This may include but is not limited to;
  • Peru culture / history overview
  • Spanish language lesson
  • Customs / law’s / do’s & don’ts
  • Volunteer expectations
  • Home stay guidelines
  • Travel opportunities during free time
  • Overview of your placement
  • Notes from previous placements to help maximize impact
Volunteers should aim to arrive into Cuzco on either Saturday or Sunday to ensure they can participate in the Orientation which starts every Monday.

Complimentary Arrival Transfer

You’ll arrive at Alejandro Velasco Astete International Airport (CUZ).   When clearing immigration it’s best to simply state ‘tourism’.    When you arrive you will be greeted by a member of our local team and taken to the homestay or the volunteer center for orientation.

In-Country Transportation

Most volunteers will use in-expensive bus transport to get around and to travel to the project placements.  Our coordinators will assist you with all the details while in country. A one-way trip rarely costs more than US $0.50 in Cuzco or nearby neighborhoods and maybe US $2 for longer distances. Taxis are also readily available in and around Cusco. Taxis cost approximately US $3 – $10 depending on duration.  We recommend using formal taxis that use a meter to calculate the fare based on time and distance.

Sunday – Arrival & Welcome
Monday – Orientation in Cuzco
Tuesday to Friday:  

  • Breakfast at the accommodation
  • 4-6 hours of volunteer work either in the morning or afternoon
  • Your own lunch at the accommodation or project site
  • Free time
  • Dinner at the accommodation

Saturday – Free time
Sunday – Free time

Weekends are always free for volunteers to relax and do as you please exploring the incredible sights in/around Cuzco.  Most volunteers will organize to meet up at the volunteer center and head out from there.   It’s worth noting that in this region, most families are religious with Sunday the day of rest this also means many stores and restaurants are closed on Sundays.   

  • At least 18 years of age
  • Provide proof of academic of professional training
  • Bring scrubs, closed toe shoes and stethoscope

Bordered by the Pacific Ocean, Brazil, Bolivia, Chile, Ecuador and Colombia this South American country of 33 million is an incredible destination.Peru has a fascinating 5000 year old history and unique cultural heritage that exists to this day!  

With world renowned historical sites like Machu Pichu, incredible natural wonders like the Amazon rain forest, the Andes mountain range and loads of adventures such as rafting, zip-lining, paragliding and mountain biking, Peru is seriously an amazing place to visit!Don’t forget the Peruvian coastline which accounts for 10% of the whole surface of the country…Although the Incas are the most famous, there are other pre-Columbian cultures and unexplored archaeological sites which can be located in the North of Peru.   

A country of contrasts, crazy traffic, 6700 meter high cities, amazing beaches and sunsets, tropical rain forests and lamas!While the Amazon represents 60% of the Peruvian surface, it is the least densely populated region of the country. Therefore, it holds a lot of  uninhabited parts, untouched by humans and beautiful unseen areas.  With all the madness of the cities, the countryside is never far and in our opinion, here is the place where you can experience something very unique and special.   Here is where you will make a difference.

Peru has over 10,000 years of history!   It’s no surprise that Peru has an incredible wealth of culture and tradition that is one of the most varied countries in the world. 

As the 3rd largest country in South America Peru is divided into 25 regions and 11 eco-regions.  With an enormous range of landscapes, biodiversity and natural resources, you can boil this down to 3 main regions being 1) Coast, 2) Mountains 3) Jungle. 

Spanish is the official language and spoken by 85% of the population with 47 other native languages present among the various regions.  Music and dance play a vital role in Peruvian society.   Hispanic influences combine with Spanish and ancient styles to create a flair that is unique to Peru.  

Peruvian’s are proud people and very aware of the natural world and the value of the Andes, Amazon and historic civilizations in this region.  The country has overcome difficult political and economic issues.  

The people are welcoming and attentive to visitors with food and music being the central point for celebrations and of course colorful dress which is unmistakable.    Peruvian’s love football (soccer) which is the national sport and you can often see families playing together.   Most of Peru is quite religious with Catholicism very prominent.  

In Peru, personal hygiene and style are very important and people tend to dress neatly and professionally.  Be prepared to cover your shoulders and knees, and wear clothing that is not revealing or extravagant

The climate varies depending on altitude and region, but for the most part the dry season is from May to November, and the ‘green’ season from December to April.

As Cusco is 3000 meters above sea level, the average temperatures in Cusco rarely reach above 25 degrees celcius.   During the dry season expect sunny, warm days and cool nights.   It’s generally warmer during the ‘green’ season with intermittent rain and sun during the day and mild rainy nights.

30 Years Non Profit Experience

IVI is an Australian charity & non profit organisation founded in 1989 and is one of the pioneers of overseas volunteering successfully placing over 20,000 volunteers globally.

Affordable Volunteer Travel

We’re not motivated by shareholder profits.   Our fees are fully transparent to ensure maximum benefit where it is most needed. 

Safe & Responsible Projects

All projects include a dedicated 24/7 in-country management team, operational & risk assessment & overseas support contact.   All projects are personally inspected to ensure very high quality.
 

Work Experience & University Credits

We place thousands of Uni students and can assist you with course credits and in-field experience points.   Many of our project coordinators are qualified practitioners in their respective fields allowing unique in-field supervision and Uni accreditation options

Weekends & Extra Tours

Ready to Volunteer in Peru?