Volunteer with Children in Peru: Social Work Volunteers

Peru has been the ideal place to feel comfortable and safe, whilst having such a different cultural experience, seeing things so differently from how people see things at home. The people are the most hospitable I have ever met and don’t seem to mind where you come from, they just love sharing with everyone and are super friendly. The kids are rewarding when doing work with them and they find it a novelty having an experience with someone from a different country so are some of the most engaging kids I’ve worked with. You will leave feeling so much more grateful for the world and communities around you, because the community culture and work here really leaves an impact for both sides.

My time in Peru was amazing. It was a great experience to be surrounded by an unfamiliar culture. Vive Peru did a fantastic job of making me feel comfortable and taken care of. My only negative experience was some of the organization components of the trip. There would be some days where I had nothing going on, and I struggled to keep myself busy. Other than that, everything was amazing. Amazing people, travel opportunities, community, and volunteers. My sister and I visited a different part of Peru every weekend and loved it. I 100% recommend this trip to anybody considering!

I loved my time in Perú! The Vive Perú staff is friendly, welcoming, organized, and helpful. It is a small organization so you get to know every staff member and volunteer. The thing I liked most about this organization was the opportunity to work so closely with the community and to get to build relationships and see the impact you are making. The work is extremely hands on and you get a ton of room to take a leadership position instead of working behind the scenes like many volunteer positions in the states. I really feel that I would not be able to find this experience in the states. I got to know Perú and it’s people and culture through the program, and I am so grateful for that. My host mom was also incredibly sweet, welcoming, and accommodating. Home cooked peruvian food is like no other! You get a good amount of time to explore on your own as well and take weekend trips in addition to the volunteer work. This is also a really great way to practice Spanish because there is so much opportunity to speak with locals. However, the program does a good job of accommodating non-speakers as well. Overall loved my experience with Vive Perú!

During the summer of 2019, I spent one session working with Vive Peru as a social work volunteer. The experience was absolutely incredible, and I would highly recommend it. My host family was so warm and welcoming, and my host mother was a spectacular chef. During the weeks, I helped to plan and execute workshops and activities for children in the Trujillo community and local foster homes. The experience was very rewarding, and volunteers are given a lot of leeway to give the workshops their own personal twist, leading to a feeling of being truly involved and making a difference. On the weekends, Vive Peru volunteers are free to travel and the staff works to help plan all weekend trips. We travelled all over Peru inexpensively on the weekends, and it was a ton of fun! If you are looking to be truly immersed in the Peruvian culture while also having an impact in the community, Vive Peru is the program for you!

Above all, what truly made the Vive Peru experience for me was the staff. Vive Peru's full-time coordinators truly live the work they do, and I have witnessed them go out of their way to help the people around them, whether those people are locals in their community or volunteers coming from overseas. They have made me realize that the best way to help a community is to understand on a deep level the background of that community, and they will encourage you to understand the communities of Peru that you are working with. I also had the chance to learn a lot about Peru's healthcare system and the culture of a place that operates very differently than the United States does.

I loved this experience! It was amazing to spend a month abroad learning about a new culture and contributing to my experience as a social worker. I would recommend this program because they also help plan your weekend trips. However, sometimes it was unclear what activities we would be doing the communication was a little confusing at times. Overall, it was a great experience and for the price it's highly recommended