Childcare and orphanages

The childcare program is perfect for patient and caring volunteers looking to help young children in Peru who face the challenges stemming from poverty. Volunteers in the childcare program will be assigned to work in daycare centers or orphanages where they can help in many different ways, from daily tasks to playing, tutoring and offering mentorship.

Requirements: Background check.

Minimum time commitment: 2 weeks in daycares , 4 weeks in the orphanage. Year- round availability.

*Orphanage volunteers will be provided with accommodations at the orphanage.

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Teaching

ELI volunteers can support various schools in Cuzco, from kindergartens and primary schools to low-income high schools. Peruvian children usually start schools at the age of six, and are about 17 years old when they finish high school. They study in classrooms with 30 - 40 students. Volunteers are needed to support teachers with the day-to-day classroom activities, tutoring, teaching English, art classes and joining sports activities.

This program works with the Peruvian academic cycle which is from early March to the second week of December. There is also a 1 week break at Easter and a 2 week break at the beginning of August.

Requirements: Background check is required. Of course, volunteers must also be proactive and flexible with their class plans.

Minimum time commitment: 4 weeks

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Special Education and Physical/Occupational Therapy

Join the staff at a school for special-needs children. The facility serves youngsters with different disabilities, providing care, education, therapy, counseling and vocational training. The education services are matched to the kids’ abilities and age; meals and nutrition evaluation, medical care and physical therapy treatment are also offered. Volunteers support the staff in areas of their interests, skills, and educational background.

Volunteers work around 6 hours per day, Monday through Friday.

Requirements: Background check

Minimum time commitment: 4 weeks

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The sports program is perfect for active participants looking to volunteer with kids and teenagers in various team sports. Volunteers working in this program will be assisting or teaching physical education classes and helping coach in basketball and soccer.

Requirements: Background check

Minimum time commitment: 6 weeks

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The girl’s home receives girls who have been the subject of exploitation or abuse. The home strives to create a safe space where the girls receive education, are taught to raise their self-esteem and help them look for opportunities as they reach adulthood. Some of the girls in the home live there permanently and some of them are there for education.

Requirements: Background check. (Due to the nature of the work, only female volunteers are eligible.)

Minimum time commitment: 4 weeks. This project is available year-round.

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Gain experience at a Cuzco clinic or hospital. ELI offers placements at several low-income facilities where volunteers support staff doctors and nurses based on their experience and training. The hospitals and clinics provide a wide variety of services, including first aid, midwifery, gynecological/OBGYN care to pregnant women and laboratory work.

Public health students here will also gain valuable insights into Peru’s medical system and the local public health campaigns that focus on vaccination, hygiene, environmental protection and care for the home-bound.

These placements are open to pre-medical/nursing and public health students, as well as the more advanced medical students and residents. The tasks carried out by each participant depends entirely on their experience and is at the discretion of their supervisor. Interns can help in various areas like lab work, gynecology, traumatology, pharmacy, preventive medicine, and more. Interns will be assigned to an area where they are best qualified to assist; the possibility to rotate among various departments is also an option.

Minimum commitment: 4 weeks.

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Volunteers will help endangered species, wild animals or mistreated animals return to the wild or place them into appropriate care. Most of the animals in the sanctuary have been seized by the government due to illegal possession or inhumane treatment and require special care to be rehabilitated.

Among the animals in the sanctuary are condors, various monkey species, bears, wild felines, parakeets, llamas, and other species.

Work is around 6 hours per day, 5 days per week.

Minimum time commitment: 2 weeks

Requirements: An extra fee of $50USD per week is required for the wildlife project.

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Take part in an amazing experince!

The andes cultural immersion program is not necessarily a volunteer program, but a cultural exchange program with indigenous Incan communities . Participants joining the cultural immersion program will be living with a host family in a rural community where they will be interacting with the family in their day to day life and learning about their culture and language.

The cultural immersion program is for participants that want to experience the real rural Andes and don’t mind very basic conditions.

Minimum commitment: 1 week

Requirements: The immersion program requires an extra fee of $50USD per week.

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See our off-season discounts! Click here for a complete list.

Addition weeks are $126/week ($152 for Medical)

Application Fee: $200
The application fee is a separate administrative charge for all programs. It does not apply to the program fee. (Please see our application fee refund policy here)

Credit card payments: Payment by credit card will be assessed a 3.5% surcharge. This is the fee that we will be charged for the transaction. Contact us about alternative forms of payment.

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After you fill out the application form on our website, our applications adviser will be in touch to help you with the next steps.

Apply Now

After you fill out the application form on our website, our applications adviser will be in touch to help you with the next steps.

Accommodations:

Volunteers in Peru stay with local host families. We believe that this is the best way to fully immerse in another culture and get the most from an international experience.  All families are carefully screened and are well-respected members of the community. Host families do not speak English, creating a full immersion environment to help participants improve their Spanish language skills.  Participants will have either a private or shared bedroom with secure storage (volunteer must provide own padlock).  Bathrooms are shared with the host family. Volunteers will be provided with breakfast and dinner daily.

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Spanish Classes

Spanish classes are not included in the program fees but can be set up either at a language school or with a private teacher. The cost of language classes vary depending on the type of class and number of class members.

Arrival Dates

Arrival Airport: Cusco (Alejandro Velasco). Code : CUZ

Airport pickup is available from 8 am-10:30 pm on any Sunday except over the Christmas holidays.

School Year: Early March-Early December. Two-week break in Early August or late August (depends on the school).

Arrival Airports

Travel Insurance

Travel insurance is not included in the program fee. We prefer to let participants decide what kind of coverage they need. You can find more Insurance Tips Here. 

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After you fill out the application form on our website, our applications adviser will be in touch to help you with the next steps.

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