DUKEENGAGE IN PERU

This program is organized by ProWorld Peru in collaboration with DukeEngage.  

Service Focus:

ProWorld’s mission is to empower communities, promote social and economic development, conserve the environment, and cultivate educated and compassionate global citizens. We invite you to join the ProWorld mission and make a difference in our host communities through our sustainable development model.

Service Opportunities

Students will have the option of working on one of the following projects:

1. installing clean burning stoves;

2. conservation and environmental education;

3. participating in studies and health education surrounding the implementation of ceramic water filtration systems and assisting in rural community health campaigns.

4. contribute to existing ProWorld projects focused on public health, infrastructure development, and education in the nearby communities of Media Luna and Chicón. 

Program Requirements & Environmentals

Language/Other Prerequisites: While Spanish is not required to join the program, having a basic command of the language is preferred.  Though most volunteers will receive 6 hours of Spanish lessons per week to help facilitate language acquisition, Spanish schedules may be adjusted to fit specific participant needs.

Reflection Sessions:  Your Site Coordinator will lead regular reflection sessions in which you will be expected to participate.  Weekly discussions will be facilitated by ProWorld staff regarding project experiences, and we will also explore and discuss different developmental and cultural issues through different types of media, including videos, articles, etc. 

Neighborhood: Students will live in the town of Urubamba in the Sacred Valley of Peru, an hour from Cusco. 

Housing and Accommodations:  Volunteers spend the majority of their programs living with a carefully selected homestay family. ProWorld Peru's homestay families are close community friends who provide warm, safe and authentic Peruvian living experiences. While participants may find that within their host family homes only their basic material needs are met, participants encounter a wealth of sharing and strong family relationships. While each family varies in its exact make-up, in all cases you will share meals, living space and experiences with a kind and accepting Peruvian family. The bonds created with your new family or fellow participants often prove to be one of the most memorable aspects of the ProPeru program.

Meals: During your stay in Urubamba, your host family will be providing you with three meals a day. Breakfast will typically consist of a small meal such as coffee and bread with jam. Lunch is the biggest meal of the day, usually eaten together as a family with several courses. Usually soup is served followed by a main dish. Ingredients typically include potatoes, rice, red meat or chicken. Accommodations can be made for vegetarians that will usually include more vegetables, cheese and grains such as quinoa, a local Andean grain. Dinner is usually lighter and less of a familial event.  If the participant wishes to eat a meal away from their host family, that is acceptable, as long as the family is informed in advance. There are dozens of restaurants scattered around Urubamba, including pizza places, traditional Peruvian fare, North American-style cafes, and international fusion cuisine. A standard meal in such a restaurant could cost anywhere from $1.50 to $10.00, depending on the order and the caliber of the restaurant. There will also be opportunities to cook dinners and lunches with other fellow volunteers. Such meals usually take place once or twice a week at the Casa ProWorld Peru and are accompanied with group discussions.

Communication: There will be ample opportunity for you to be in touch by telephone with friends and family in your home country.  It is recommended participants purchase international calling cards, which are available from a wide variety of carriers including some in Peru. Before purchasing calling cards at home, please verify with your long distance provider that your card will specifically work in Urubamba (some cards use access codes that are only good from Lima). Peruvian calling cards for local, long distance, and international calls can easily be purchased once you are here in the airport and at local shops. When using a landline in Peru, $3 gets you about 1 hour to the U.S. or Canada. There are also "locutorios" where international calls can be made for about $0.30/ min. Skype is also a great option. You can open up an account online and call other Skype accounts via the computer for free. Skype can also be used to call phones directly, with calls to the U.S. costing about 2 cents per minute. Skype credit for such calls is purchased on line using a credit card. Most homestay families do have landlines and volunteers can arrange times for their friends and family to call them or to make phone calls home using a calling card.  Internet cafes can be found all over Urubamba. Generally, an hour of internet costs about $0.30-$0.50 US. Wireless internet is available in some locales. While some internet cafes might already have them, bringing a headset with you could be useful if you plan on making calls home via Skype from local internet cafés. Wireless internet is also available at the Casa ProPeru which can be used occasionally if there is not much use slowing down the connection. All volunteers will also be provided with Peruvian cell-phones to communicate with staff members and other volunteers in emergency situations. If volunteers would like to use these phones more regularly, they may purchase further cell-phone minutes at their own cost.

Transportation: Various forms of transportation are available in and around the Sacred Valley.  Public  or private taxis, vans, buses, or moto-taxis, will all be employed by ProWorld Peru to help our volunteers reach their projects. 

Volunteer Placement Logistics: Each day students will travel via public or private transportation to their internship placement (unless within walking distance) where they will be accompanied as needed by ProWorld Peru staff.  Project work may be conducted in various places depending on the project, including the ProWorld Peru office, schools, or in local communities.

Opportunities for Autonomy/Private Space:  Volunteers will work on their project for 35-40 hours per week, and will also have Spanish classes which run for 6 hours each week.  Whenever volunteers are not on project or in Spanish, they will have free time to relax, explore other side-projects, or enjoy the Sacred Valley and all that it has to offer.  There will also be free weekends scheduled throughout the program that volunteers are free to use as travel opportunities.  Furthermore, all volunteers will receive their own room in their homestay family, and therefore will have the opportunity to privacy should they seek it out at times. 

Miscellaneous: ProWorld Peru volunteers will be able to participate on different fun and culturally intriguing weekend activities scheduled throughout the duration of your program. These adventures may include excursions to Incan and pre-Incan ruins; exploring the Sacred Valley; hiking to unique destinations; visiting surrounding towns for traditional markets or festivals; or performing service projects in local communities. There will also be free weekends scheduled throughout the program to provide down-time and an opportunity to recharge. Volunteers will have the option to travel to Machu Picchu at their own expense for a day trip or overnight via taxi and private train.  Arrangements can be made independently or with the assistance of ProWorld and a travel agent.