Orphanage & Medical Clinic - Peru

Product Details

More then 60 children between the ages of 6 – 16yrs permanently live in the Limatambo Orphanage and other children from towns close to the area, walk up to two hours to come to the orphanage where they receive their education. In addition to receiving formal education, the children also receive their meals and medical attention at the clinic. Equally importantly, the orphans receive the love and attention, which is so vital to a child in their early years.

Location:

The orphanage is located 2 hours from the city of Cusco in the District of Limatambo. At 2554 meters above sea level, Limatambo is a rural town with more then 9000 inhabitants.

On weekends you will be able to visit Cusco, stay overnight in hostels or hotels and enjoy the nightlife of this small city. There are several public buses departing Cusco to Limatambo every hour. In Cusco, there are all the facilities you are likely to require including telephones and Internet. There is also a satellite phone at the orphanage.

Project life:

Following your arrival in Cusco, our local coordinator will collect you from the airport or accommodation for the start of your induction.

The 2-day introduction to the city and your placement will help you settle into Peruvian life and will cover sessions on culture and customs, a city tour of Cusco, transportation to the projects and information for excursions to local places of interest.

If you would like to improve your language skills before you start your volunteer placement, Spanish courses are also available: 2 hours per day Monday to Friday. Half board accommodation is included with your Spanish course. Spanish courses are held in Lima.

Your daily activities will vary depending if you are at principally volunteering at the orphanage or the medical clinic, although there is plenty of opportunity to work in both areas.

Orphanage: Supporting the fulltime staff, assisting the teachers with formal education and of course supporting the children. In addition to your teaching activities during the day, you’ll play an active role during meal times and in the evening, helping to keep the children occupied and busy.

Medical clinic: For suitably experienced volunteers, there are opportunities to support the staff at the medical clinic. The clinic is equipped to deal with most minor conditions, including dentistry, dealing with approximately 20 to 30 patients per day. Volunteers can also assist with the health campaigns that the medical clinic runs. The clinic is open Monday to Friday and is staffed by two fulltime nurses; the Doctor and Dentist visit twice a week.

As well as being an orphanage, a school and a medical center, the center also teaches the children practical skills such as carpentry and agriculture. The center has its own small farm where they grow their own vegetables. The center is also supported by a Christian non-governmental organisation.

Accommodation & Food:

• When you first arrive in Cusco for your induction, accommodation is provided in a youth hostel.
• While you are at the orphanage, the accommodation is generally provided for volunteers in shared dormitories; however, upon request there may also be opportunities to live local families.
• Breakfast, lunch and evening meals are provided for you at the orphanage

Dates & Duration:

Minimum duration is 4 weeks up to a maximum of 1 year.

You can join the project on the 2nd and 4th Thursday of every month.

Flights & Transportation:

• International flights are not included.
• Please arrange a flight to Cusco, where a local coordinator will meet you.
• If you would prefer to fly to Lima, we can arrange for a local coordinator to meet you and assist you with accommodation and transport to Cusco.
• Public buses run frequently between Cusco and Limatambo.
• During your time at the orphanage, there is no real need for transport on a day-to-day basis. If you wish to travel on your days off, small buses or cars go to Cusco frequently during the day.

Safety & Insurance:

• All of Twin’s volunteer placements are in partnership with recognised Charities, Non Governmental Organisations (NGO’s), government ministries or registered agents, giving you the confidence to work with reputable organisations.
• Comprehensive insurance is available for each of the volunteer placements.
• Our local partner provides 24-hour support.

Eligibility & Skills:

• Minimum age is 18 years old
• There are no specific skills required to participate in this programme, however you should be:
o Able to speak basic Spanish
o Interested in learning about new culture
o Must be open and flexible
o And of course, enjoy teaching and helping young children

Please note that acceptance on this programme may be subject to a Criminal Records Bureau check

Contributions:

Please be aware that in addition to covering transport, accommodation and food costs, your contribution is vital to support the on going efforts of the project.