Program Reviews

I have no words to convey what an amazing experience I had with Volunteers Peru in Arequipa!
Since the very first day I arrived at the Volunteers Peru's office I felt at home. My first weekend in Arequipa, Marita (the founder) invited me and the other volunteers to her home to meet her family and to teach us how to prepare a delicious Peruvian dish. We had so much fun! We not only learned how to cook "Rocoto Relleno" but she also taught us how to dance with traditional Andean music.
It was really convenient to stay at the Honey House Hostel because the office is right there and I knew I could count on Marita's and Megan's (director) help and advice at any time. This hostel is located downtown, just three blocks from the main plaza. You can walk everywhere(shops, restaurants, tourist sites, etc.) because you live right in the middle of everything, which makes you feel part of the life of Arequipa, not like a tourist.
I did not know what to expect from the girls at Casa Hogar Torre Fuerte. I only knew that they came from abusive situations and extreme poverty. I prepared myself for the possibility of meeting children with issues of anger, distrust, etc. I could not have been more mistaken! The very first moment I arrived at Torre Fuerte I was surrounded with smiling girls hugging me, holding my hand, asking me to play with them, to help them with their homework, with so much love to give and so much joy to share! It was amazing. It brings tears to my eyes even now to remember how much more I received from them than I was able to give.
Every single volunteer that I met at Volunteers Peru had a life changing experience, me included. I recommend this organization with no reservations and convinced that if you decide to go, this experience will surpass whatever you are hoping for.
I am coming back next year, hope to meet you there! :-)

Making the decision to volunteer in Tomepampa was one of the best decisions I have ever made. I was really nervous at first, as the location was quite remote and I wasn't sure my level of Spanish was quite ready for it. However, I shouldn't have been worried. The rural location of Tomepampa is precisely what gives it it's beauty and charm; you can't help but feel happy and peaceful when you are surrounded by such amazing scenery! The locals welcomed us warmly from day 1, frequently checking on us to make sure we were OK, and telling us all about the area. I found the project challenging, as keeping the attention of many excited Peruvian children a challenge, but their hearts are big and welcoming, so you can't help but love them. My Spanish improved an incredible amount t over this time, and the snapshot of their lives that I experienced gave me a taste of what life for these people is really like. I strongly encourage you to consider volunteering in Tomepampa, not just to see the sights or improve your language, but because doing so will completely immerse you in Peru and you will feel completely at home in this beautiful country.

I spent one month in Tomepampa as a teacher's assistant in English classes with Volunteers Peru. As soon as I got to Arequipa I felt welcome and everything was taken care of by lovely Eva and Marita.

In Tomepampa I stayed in Casa Primavera which felt like being at home. I had my own cozy room with bathroom and access to the shared kitchen. Besides from Carmela who makes you wonderful lunches, her sons Hector and Miguel also live in the house. They were always up for things like guiding me in the area, going fishing or watching movies and I really enjoyed having them around. The village of Tomepampa is kind of small but there are plenty of small shops where you can buy the most necessary things.

The school is located just a minute's walk away from the house and is divided into two parts: the primary and the secondary. I spent more or less all the time in secondary as that's where they learn English. The two English teachers are really different, Maribel has a pretty good level of English and does a lot of teaching in front of the class, while Julissa struggles quite often with the language and has more discussions with the class (often in Spanish though).

When I was with Maribel she usually did the teaching but asked me for help with pronunciation practices with the class. Also, when the class were working in smaller groups or by themselves I helped the students out when they asked for it and occasionally I checked homework or tasks they'd done during class. Most of the time I was just sitting around and some of the one block classes I didn't do anything at all, which was kind of boring.

Luckily the classes with Julissa was the opposite. I was constantly asked to help either her or the students with pretty much anything. Sometimes Julissa held the class while I was writing things she said on the board and at other times I more or less held the class. As I mentioned earlier she does struggle with the language, which means she has to look up things in her dictionary so often that she just carries it around all the time. Also when she writes things on the board she spells it wrong quite often so of course it's not the optimal situation for the students. On the other hand she is really sweet and really cares about the students and most importantly she makes every effort to get better.

Four days a week I had an extra hour of English in the afternoon with the kids who are doing an exchange with England. The four hours added to the already five hours of English in school and rather long days was a bit excessive, there wasn't really any time for the students to study in between.

When you're not in school you should go explore the surroundings. The Cotahuasi canyon is something else and there's no way you'll be able to see it all unless you stay for a couple of months. I did at least one trip every weekend and I think my top two was visiting the small lake outside Cotahuasi (which is really easy to visit) and hiking the mountain above Cahuana (which is not easy at all). The hike up to Cauhana is definitely more spectacular if you take the steps from Alca but it's probably easier to walk the switchbacks from Luicho.

If you're still thinking of going, stop and just go! You won't regret it. I'm definitely going back one day.

I spent two unforgettable months volunteering at the Casa Hogar Torre Fuerte girls’ home in the outsides of Arequipa, and as an intern at Volunteers Peru‘s office in Cruz Verde in the center of Arequipa. As an intern, I assisted the manager, Eva Paterson, in various administrative tasks at the office during the morning. These tasks primarily included marketing tasks; promoting and creating better awareness of the organization. In the afternoon I worked as a volunteer at the girls’ home, where I mainly helped out the girls with their domestic tasks and homework . Other tasks included organizing activities and games with the girls and to create a safe and stable environment for the girls at their home.

The Casa Hogar Torre Fuerte is a loving place, where the girls’ are treated well and feel safe. As a volunteer you feel like being part of the small family.

Not every day is alike and not all days are easy at the girls´ home. The girls come from a very different environment and they all carry heavy experiences with them. In other words, there are ups and downs. It is not easy not to get attached to the girls and get a special bond with them, but it is very important to try to keep it professional and take good care of your own feelings while volunteering. If not, it can be quite heavy emotionally. Moreover it is important that you are able to take initiative on your own, since no one is really “guiding” you at the girls’ home. You go on your own and take action on your own. Show initiative and motivation – and the girls will follow.

Volunteers Peru is a small NGO and you therefore become close with everyone involved rather fast. During my first weeks, we were only two volunteers at the project, but during my last weeks we were four volunteers. You easily get new friendships with the other volunteers with whom you can hang out with during your free time.
Moreover, I really enjoyed living in the beautiful city of Arequipa and in general I felt safe in the city. Just take precautions, take care of yourself and use common sense.
As a volunteer you have plenty of time to enjoy and discover the city, due to the fact that you only work part time Monday to Friday. I decided to spent my mornings learning Quechua before going to the office in order to get the most out of my stay.

I highly appreciated the preparation material from Volunteers Peru and the good and fast communication with the manager, Eva Paterson. Any volunteer should read the material and if any questions or in doubt, contact Eva, who has years of experience in Peru and is more than happy to help out.

My experience as a volunteer and as an intern at Volunteers Peru made me grow both personally as well as professionally.
“The best way to find your self is to lose yourself in the service of others”.

I spend 4 weeks in Arequipa volunteering at Casa Hogar Torre Fuerte with the organization Volunteers Peru. Every day i spent like 5 hours in the house with the girls. Somedays i choose to go in the afternoon with the younger girls (3 -11 years old) where i used to help them with their homework, with the cleaning of the house, and then there was always time for playing! In the morning with the older girls (12-18 years old) i used to help them with their maths and english homework.

Casa Hogar is a really nice place, the girls there are very well treated and as a volunteer you try to help them and give them as much love as possible as it is what they are really missing because of being away from their families.
The girls are very thankful and they give so much love to all the volunteers. As a volunteer you get to know them really well and you create kind of a big sister/brother relationship which is very nice!

About the organization, Volunteers Peru, i can say that it is very well organized and Eva, the project manager, is very nice and looking forward to help you with everything.

During my stay i coincided with other volunteers which was also great as we became very good friends while sharing this incredible experience.

I definitely recommend Volunteers Peru, for anyone looking for a volunteering experience abroad!!!! :)

So, working at Honofre Benavides School in Tomepampa was perhaps one of the coolest experiences of my life! This primary and secondary-level school is located in the Cotahuasi Canyon in southern Peru - a very remote portion of the country with breathtaking views at literally every turn. The spectacular hikes alone are worth the the time and energy that you'll put into this project (just see the pictures below). And be sure to have Volunteers Peru lay out the best spots for you to visit while you're there - they've seen all the best vistas! However, the greatest part of this experience for me was becoming part of the tiny community of Tomepampa. I never was able to find an official record of its population, but if I had to guess, I'd say there are probably less than 200 people living there - 200 of the friendliest, warmest people I have ever met. Whether passing down the block to the store or hopping a local bus to the hot springs, you're likely to be met with a smile and a ''Buen dia! Como estas?'' Many will proceed to ask you if their town is to your liking, and you may even find yourself invited to an upcoming festival (they celebrate a lot)! The students you teach at Honofre Benavides school will chat you up about what it's like to live in your country and will marvel at any pictures of your homeland that you're willing to share. They may even venture to speak English with you outside of school, which is the coolest thing ever! Living with Carmela and her kids at Casa Primavera and eating her stellar traditional cuisine is an added bonus. Her young sons, Miguel and Hector love to play and ask you all sorts of questions, so be sure to spend lots of time with them! They will love it, and it'll be time well spent, as there really isn't much to do on quiet nights in the canyon. This opportunity is really an incredible means to disconnect and get back to the basics of life - making meaningful connections with the people around you, learning from them and sharing your wisdom in return (in this case, the beauty of the English language)!

Having spent 7 months working for Volunteers Peru with the girls at the Torre Fuerte Home, it seems almost impossible to describe how incredible of an experience this really was for me. There were many days filled with jokes, laughter, piggy-back rides, games in the courtyard, turns on the swings, homework happily completed and chores willingly done. But there were also times of great challenge. And I think that might be the most important thing for any potential volunteer to know - that because these precious little ladies have come from such tumultuous situations in life, there are bound to be moments and even entire days in which they will test the very fiber of your being with their sometimes unpredictable behavior. But the days and the moments in which you can share a laugh, a smile, a victory, big or small, a hug, a high five, a sweet story or even a cuddle will be much more frequent, and will instantly turn your heart to mush. From the moment you walk through the door and they call you hermana to the moment they beg you not to go, and demand to know when you will be back, you will likely find yourself as smitten as I was.
Devote at least 4 weeks, if you can. Give yourself a chance to really get to know these girls and ample opportunity to love on them. It's a decision you will not regret and you may find yourself a bit different of a person when you leave. :)

I spent 4 unforgettable weeks working for Volunteers Peru at the Casa Hogar Torre Fuerte Girls' Home. The Casa Hogar is a great institution giving home to girls aged from 3 to 17. As a volunteer you will mainly work in the afternoons and thus, spend more time with the younger girls as the older ones have classes until the late afternoon or early evening. The girls are welcoming you in a lovely way, taking you by the hand the moment you arrive at the Casa Hogar and asking you to play with them. This gives you an easy start and is a great experience especially if you are planning to only stay for some weeks and not several months. During holidays we played a lot with the girls and often brought some nice games or puzzles from our office. Eva as the current project manager of Volunteers Peru is very helpful and whenever you have a good idea of what could be done with or for the girls she is more than willing to help you with the realization.

I also really enjoyed living in Arequipa and you can use the mornings and weekends to explore the beautiful city or go on trips. Working for Volunteers Peru means to be part of a great team and spending time with other motivated volunteers at the project. I highly appreciated the great preparation I got before I came to Peru by receiving a pre-departure guide and being able to ask Eva as many questions as I had. I can only recommend Volunteers Peru as a great NGO and the Casa Hogar as a valuable project that is more than worth to spend your time with.

I spent two months in Tomepampa with Volunteers Peru last year and two weeks at their other project in Arequipa. Those two months in Tomepampa were amazing. Not only was working with children in primary and secondary schools a fun and rewarding experience but being able to live in the Cotahuasi Canyon without internet surrounded by another culture and a beautiful landscape (and lots of hiking) was an unforgettable experience. I helped teach ESL to students in primary school, assisted primary school teachers in the classroom as well as the English teacher in secondary school. One of the things I enjoyed most about my time in Tomepampa was how welcoming the local community was… The teachers and other school staff, the local store owners, Carmela and her children (who live in the Primavera hotel volunteers stay at) and other local townspeople were always trying to keep volunteers in the loop about what was going on in and around Tomepampa. The towns all have their own traditions and festivals and if you volunteer in Tomepampa you’re bound to get to see at least one festival. The Cotahuasi Canyon doesn’t have as much tourism as some of the other canyons in Peru like the Colca Canyon and that makes volunteering in Tomepampa a very cultural and unique experience.

When it comes to working in Colegio Honofre Benavides the English teacher most volunteers work with in the secondary school is very nice and having a volunteer at the school to help her with her lessons helps improve the quality of the English teaching these students receive. Being 11 hours outside of Arequipa, Tomepampa is a rural town in Peru and does not see as many resources as other schools that aren’t so isolated may see. As a volunteer you can work alongside Roxanna, the English teacher,and in primary school teaching English/assisting in the classroom. I have also heard of other volunteers helping out in science and math classes in secondary school so your options are endless with this volunteer project. You get what you put into it. If you want to experience another culture, practice your Spanish, help others, see incredible views on your hikes throughout the Andes on your days off, work in a school in rural Peru, this project is for you.

If you are interested in the project and would like to speak with me feel free to ask Volunteers Peru for my email.

-Erika

I worked at Casa Hogar Torre Fuerte for about two weeks; this is a very short time and because the girls are very accustomed to people coming and going, I don't think this was the proper amount of time to fully bond with the girls and feel like I was an integral part of the project. I would suggest participating for at 4+ weeks. The girls have various social, mental and sometimes developmental issues which I don't think I was fully prepared for either. I wouldn't recommend this project to anyone with thin skin or who genuinely isn't interested in helping girls. This project is also run by a very conservative religious organization which might be a problem for those with more secular lifestyles.