Kiya Survivors: New Beginnings for Children in Peru

I had a very special time at Kiya Survivors and think about my time there often. I stayed for 6 weeks which flew in. I felt it was the perfect balance of having responsibility with hands on work which you felt you were making an impact but also felt safe and relaxed! All the staff were so welcoming and so understanding with my awful Spanish! Which did improve throughout my trip! The other volunteers I was there with also made my experience really amazing. You become so close and plan lots of different activities on the weekend. I also went along to salsa classes which I loved! Working with and getting to know the children was so special and I still think about them and are so thankful to them for things they taught me! Overall it was such an incredible experience in so many different ways.

My experience working with Kiya Survivors was phenomenal. Every day felt like progress towards a better for of the kids. Working physically to improve the education conditions of the kids as well as playing with the kids felt rewarding and special. In addition to working, the dwellings provided were nice. My group of students were able to enjoy cultural opportunities such as Machu Picchu, which helped us feel connected with the country and with the kids.

We were given the opportunity to join Team Shoreham for a short volunteer programme in December 2017. Prior to leaving we had a number of pre-meetings where we discussed the itinerary and entered into team building exercises together with talking about the project work we would be undertaking. Upon arrival in Peru we stayed in the south and worked at the Rainbow Centre as well as in the community. During this time we also managed to do a few excursions. In the north we worked at the Mama Cocha Centre. The whole experience was amazing and fulfilling. We were always guided by the KIYA team and our accommodation in all locations was excellent.