Volunteer Programs in Peru

Beginning in March 2017, Peru has been faced with immense flooding, rendering many families homeless and leading to numerous other issues. As this tragic flooding continues, availability of volunteer opportunities in Peru may vary, depending on the organization and location.

Cusco, the red roofed city, was once the capital of the Incan Empire and has gained its modern fame as a gateway to Machu Picchu, because there are multiple Incan Trails that lead from Cusco to the famous mountain ruins. It is a charming city which provides easy access to several ancient ruins and green valleys. But with all the magnificence beyond Cusco, many forget what is offered within the city itself. Volunteers in Cusco can walk just ten minutes from the Plaza de Armas (the city center) to visit Sacsayhuaman, an ancient Incan military fortress. Cusco also has a plethora of Cathedrals and ancient Incan architecture living side-by-side. It is also filled with Spanish Language Schools so it is a great place to study Spanish on the side.

While volunteering in Cusco you will see many foreigners, so if you are looking for an off the beaten path, secluded experience where you will meet no one but Peruvians, then Cusco is not the place. That being said there are many volunteer organizations in Peru that are based in Cusco, but many do the majority of their work in the surrounding area. 

Lima, a sprawling and bustling city, will surprise many with its ample volunteer opportunities. The city has grown so quickly over the last two decades that it is hard to pinpoint the needs of its ever-growing population. Droves of people from rural locations moved to the city in the late 1980s and early ‘90s as a result of The Shining Path, a terrorist/guerilla organization that was active in rural areas during that time. The quick growth of the city resulted in disorganization as Lima expanded. The criss cross streets of Centro de Limo leave you quickly lost when you attempt to travel outwards, and “Shanty Towns” frame as well as sprinkle nearly the entire city.

Centro de Limo is identical to cities in Spain in many ways, with giant Spanish style mansions left from the conquistadores, cathedrals, and tons of shopping and restaurants. Volunteering in Lima’s shanty towns can seem a million miles away, as many lack any real structure and schools are often shacks with tin roofs. Playgrounds need repairs, buildings need new paint, children need supervision, and teachers need educational assistance in these communities. 

Lima is an allusive city; many of its problems are slightly hidden behind the well-to-do districts, where most students studying in Peru live, or the historic center and ocean cliffs, where tourists flock. While it is a much less popular location for volunteering in Peru, there is plenty of need for volunteer projects in Lima.

Rural Areas. Smaller cities, like Chiclayo on the western coast and The White City of Arequipa, offer ample opportunities to volunteer in Peru as well. Volunteers can choose between extremely secluded villages in the Amazon or mid sized towns.