David Green is a student at the University of London’s Royal Holloway College who volunteered at Globalteer’s Peru Community Project in July and August 2015.
Looking for the right organisation
I wanted to volunteer with an organisation that actually cared about making a difference instead of a profit. Globalteer provided that possibility perfectly due to the fact that they are registered charity. Furthermore the possibility of learning Spanish alongside my volunteering, and being able to live in a homestay really excited me, and gave me the rounded experience I was looking for.
Before going I was of course nervous as I was travelling to a country that I had never visited before and whose first language is not one I was able to communicate in perfectly. However, I felt that the information provided by the Globalteer team in Peru was incredibly useful in helping me to prepare for what I was going to be doing during my time in Cusco.
Making a difference at the project
The project was amazing. To be able to help out at somewhere that truly cares about providing a service to children in that situation was honestly incredible for me. The staff were also all amazing.
For the most part I helped the teachers and staff with their lessons for the children, whether it was in English, art, kindergarten or sport. I also helped to look after the project site by gardening and watering, and cleaning out some of the classrooms.
The best thing about volunteering was being able to help children who need it, and forming connections with them. It’s very easy to become blasé about the life we have in England, but when you go out and help at a project like the Peru Community Project you realise just how lucky we are, and therefore being able to make a difference first hand – even if only for one month – is amazing and I feel incredibly lucky to have had this opportunity.
Experiencing the sights of Peru
I visited Machu Picchu, as well as some of the other Inca ruins around Cusco. Although I was not able to trek to Machu Picchu, even getting the train there was incredible. It was possibly one of the most breath-taking things I have seen in my life, and is something that will stay with me forever.
For anyone thinking about volunteering in Peru …
I would say to anyone thinking about volunteering that they absolutely should take the opportunity and grab it with both hands. There aren't many chances to go and do something like this. What you can personally take out of it is indescribable, and what you are able to give back to the people at the project is huge as well!
You too can have a rewarding experience like David by getting involved at the Peru Community Project today!