you if you want to help disadvantaged children in an incredible and lively city high in the Andes in one of the most outstanding countries in South America. Please contact us to find out more and we can let you know our website which has all the details or give you a call to tell you all about it.

Introduction

We work with a number of locations in Cusco and the surrounding villages. When you arrive in Cusco we take you to visit the places that have a need for volunteers at the time and then you decide which placement (or placements) suit you best. Daisy who manages our placement in Cusco provides support throughout your time and ensures that all of our volunteers are placed in locations that have a real need.

Your first choice is whether you want to live in Cusco and be part of the lively social scene, or whether you want to live in a village and have much more of a local Peruvian experience.

As a regional capital, Cusco has a large number of orphanages and care homes, most of which are run by nuns from the Catholic church. Each specialises in a different area of care work. Most care for children who have lost their parents or been abandoned, some look after the very young whilst others care for older children. There are also homes for children with special needs.

A typical week

Most orphanage placements are either in the morning or in the afternoon and are normally 3 or 4 hours long because children usually go out to school at certain times of day so there is no work while they are at school. You can therefore often decide the hours you would like to work by choosing placements that fit.

Volunteers generally either do two different placements in a day, or work half days and use their free time to go to the language school, get to know Cusco better, relax or study the history of Peru. You may also want to work Monday to Thursday to give yourself time to travel around the Cusco area on extended weekend trips. The priority however with all our projects is the benefit to the local organisation and their requirements.

There is no typical day in an orphanage as there is so much variety. You may spend the day just playing with the children, you could take the children on a visit or you could arrange a sports day for them. Many volunteers arrange English, art or music lessons for the children. Equally you may end up shopping in town to buy food for the orphanage, you could find yourself taking one of the children to hospital, or you could be working on a strategy to raise money for the orphanage.

Working in these homes presents a real challenge and gives a great sense of satisfaction. It is a very humbling experience to work with the nuns and other care workers who have dedicated their lives to serving the children of Cusco.

Lifestyle in Cusco

Cusco, the city where volunteers spend most of their time, was the ancient capital of the Inca Empire until the Conquistadors defeated them in the 1500s. Spanish colonial grandeur replaced the majesty of Inca engineering, and today both vie for dominance in this city alive with history.

Cusco’s main square is an incredible place where many of Peru’s formative historical events took place. It was here that Tupac Amaru I was killed by the Spanish Conquistadors to finally destroy the Inca Empire. The Spanish built several grand cathedrals and fringed the square with beautiful stone arches. It is now a great place for restaurants, bars, salsa clubs and night life.

However poverty is never very far away, and the wealth divide between tourists and locals is nowhere more visible than in Cusco. You just need to go a few roads away from the main square to find people living in tin shacks with open sewers. You will also find a large population of street children who make a living selling postcards, polishing shoes or even scavenging rubbish.

Cusco is a city of great contrasts and a place where volunteers can have an incredible experience and give a huge amount to the local population. You will be able to get to know the local people, shop in local markets and experience the routine of life in a Peruvian city. It will be up to you how much or little you want to come into contact with the more western and tourist element of Cusco.

Location of accommodation and workplace

Whilst based in Cusco, volunteers live in a hotel in the San Blas district. San Blas is the 'old town' and is where all the bars and restaurants are. Its a very beautiful area only a few minutes walk from the main square. Almost all the building are white washed with terracota roofs and many date back to the Spanish Colonial era. The streets are also patroled by tourist police at night to keep the area safe.

Your workplace may be walking distance or a short bus or taxi ride from your accommodation. The specifics of your day will depend on where you work as different institutions have different daily routines, but whichever one is chosen, there will be lots to do and plenty of opportunities to work closely with Peruvian children and adults and get to know them very well over the time you are there.

What’s included

• A information pack and support prior to departure


• We put you in touch with the other volunteers on the placement


• Travel advice and assistance


• Pick up from Cusco airport


• A training course that introduces volunteers to Cusco and their project


• A 5 day (20 hour) intensive Spanish course at a language school in Cusco


• Accommodation in our apartment in San Blas


• Adventure activities


• a visit to Machu Picchu, a tour of the Sacred Valley of the Incas. white water rafting


• Ongoing support, help and advice from our local team

Optional extras

• 2 week adventure package


• 5 day alternative Inca Trail trek


• 5 day jungle expedition


• Further weeks of Spanish Lessons

Dates and durations

The placement is for 2-12 weeks, but can easily be extended.

Gap groups start in Jan, Apr, Jul, Sep and independent placements can start at any time throughout the year.

Our users say:

"My two months volunteering and living in Cusco organised by PoD were truly fantastic. The volunteer placements were unforgettable and I made so many friends and had massive amounts of fun on the trek to Macchu Picchu and the rafting. The co-ordinator Daisy was a constant source of support and friendship which really made our time out there the best it could possibly be. PoD in Peru was good value for money as well as offering me the trip to Cusco that every traveller wants combined with useful and rewarding volunteer placements to give something back to an amazing country that gives many people such a great experience." Sophie

"My time at the placement was great in both the personal development sense and also in the way it was just great fun, I meet some great people and did some amazing things. The only thing I would change is maybe packing a razor (!), but apart from that very little was less than perfect in the three and a half months I spent away." - John

0845 344 7535

POD (Personal Overseas Development - provides 1 week- 3 month volunteer opportunities for people to make a difference in countries rich in culture, variety and natural beauty - Cambodia, Belize, Malawi, Nepal, Peru, Tanzania and Thailand. PoD is a leading non-profit organisation that focuses on quality and safety rather than quantity.