Project Summary

Our Day Care program in Peru is an opportunity for volunteers to help, guide and play with children six months to four years old. With approximately 40 kids in total, the majority of the children are between 1 and 2 years old. The oldest kids are learning how to spell and are doing other basic lessons in preparation for kinder garden. Each centre has only one caregiver and very basic utilities (small old beds, old sheets and blankets, and few pillows). Therefore, the value of having volunteers in these centres is obviously great; it is even more obvious when taking into account that 25% of the children have single mothers, and 95% of them come from very difficult background situations.

At each centre the kids have no real schedule-they come to the centres to play, eat and learn basic lessons. This program offers you a chance to use your own creativity and good will in a highly productive manner. While the program may be challenging at times, the gratification promises to be deep and lasting, both for you and for all of the hearts you are sure to touch.

At a Glance

Minimum Program Length:	2 weeks
Start Date:	Every Monday
Arrival Date:	2-3 days prior to your Start Date
Minimum Age:	18 years old
Volunteer Gender:	Male and Female
Accommodation:	We offer clean, comfortable and safe accommodation. Volunteers will stay in a single or shared room with either a homestay family or in an apartment with other volunteers.
Food:	Three meals will be provided each day: breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Meals will usually be local Peruvian dishes, which are very tasty! You will be fed every day except Sunday.
Pick-up Info:	A Volunteer Visions representative will be waiting for you at your arrival point and guide you to your accommodation and project location.
Project Schedule:	The Day Care schedule is Monday to Friday, 8:30 am to 12:45pm (you may be there until 1:00 pm). Kids' meals are served at 9 am (breakfast) and 12 pm (lunch).

Your role as a Volunteer

As volunteers make a very tangible difference here, they are expected to be truly mindful of their role in the children's lives before arriving, as well as during the entire course of the program. Volunteers must provide their own teaching and play materials. These can be bought locally, although the quality of materials will often be better when bought in your country of origin. In general, volunteers should arrive each day having prepared activities for the children that are roughly two hours long. Activities will be most successful when prepared with attention to what the children, from the youngest to the oldest, will enjoy learning about. The oldest children often prefer to do arts and crafts or comparable activities over more tedious types of learning, so it will be beneficial for volunteers to include some creative exercises involving crayons, pencils, colours, etc. in their daily plans. Since the oldest children will be getting ready to start kinder garden, it is important that the volunteers help them prepare for that step. With the smallest children and the babies, volunteers will have responsibilities like feeding them at each mealtime.

As a volunteer you may bring the children toys or games, but if the gifts are not educational, it is best that the kids receive them on the first day of your program. That being said, bringing different things to the centres from candies, chocolates, and toys to classroom games and flashcards can help get the children to sit down with you. Do not feel that you have to "teach" all the kids all the time; it is often best to take 1 or 2 aside and help them individually. Furthermore, there will be other volunteers accompanying you. If you do not have strong Spanish speaking skills, it might be a good idea to help the children in subjects like English, math, and handicrafts. Alternatively, you could give them a Spanish spelling test! As a prospective Day Care volunteer, you may find it useful to plan as far ahead as before your departure date in order to bring equipment and/or mementos from your home country. Sharing your own background could provide you with a great starting point for getting to know these children! And finally, volunteers should feel free to play with the kids and enjoy themselves, as this will be the primary cause of smiles on the children's' own faces.

Project Location

Most of the centres are located in big public markets around Cusco, an ancient Inca city in the Andes of southern Peru. Famous for the tenderness of its people and its perfect location for travel to Chile, Bolivia and Peru attractions outside the city (inclduing the incredible Machu Picchu), Cusco is an ideal place both to volunteer and to familiarize oneself with Peru's history and culture. Cusco itself is rich in culture and history, with several intruiging historic sites.

Volunteers may also work at centres in Lima, the largest city and capital of Peru. Lima is Peru's industrial and cultural nucleus. Nonetheless, visitors remark on the small town feel that is perhaps produced by the friendly attitude and leisurely pace of Lima's inhabitants. Renowned dining, open-air markets, globally famous museums and a variety of stunning white beaches nearby embellish this metropolis.

Suggested Language Level

Since you will be communicating with children who do not speak English, a basic level of Spanish is recommended but not required.

Supplementary Spanish language classes are offered at the local language school for volunteers interested in practicing and learning Spanish. The classes are run by certified ESL teachers and the groups are no typically no larger than 8 students.

Although these classes are not mandatory, we suggest that you take these classes if you have little or no background in Spanish. Classes are available for $210 for 20 hours per week. Classes are held four hours a day from Monday to Friday and accommodation and 3 meals a day are included in the program fee.

Additional Activities offered by the school
The Peruvian Andes are alive with cultural activities. The school offers opportunities to learn skills from our local artisans. The course includes the following cultural courses for those students seeking a genuine experience:

WEAVING COURSES:
Learn to use traditional backstrap looms from Pre-Hispanic times, or a pedal loom, to create your own special pieces. There are over 50 different types of weaving in the Highlands, and our teachers can teach you many different designs.

SPINNING AND NATURAL DYES:
This course is a great complement to the weaving course. Natural dyes have been used in our Valley for thousands of years. Visit us and explore the countryside with our local people, collecting plants and herbs to create your own special dyes.

COOKING COURSES:
Cook delicious and healthy Peruvian dishes, using our special cookbook compiled by Beverley. This course includes the fun of shopping at the colorful local market, selecting your own ingredients and sampling our exotic and ethnic flavors.

MUSIC COURSES:
Andean music makes every fiesta come alive! Learn to play a variety of instruments such as the Andean flute, pan flute, charango (small guitar) and guitar. Our methods are simple and practical, with one on one instruction.

DANCING COURSES:
Learn many of the local folkloric dances from experienced dancers. Listen to the histories of each dance, and study the different costumes of each. Visit the villages where these dances are performed. Modern dances can also be taught.

JEWELLERY MAKING:
Silverwork is a colonial art that is still alive in the villages of Peru. Using traditional methods, our local artisans can teach you the art of creating beautiful silver works.

Suggested Skills and Interests

All Day Care volunteers should be outgoing, caring, and very interested in kids. Creativity, the ability to think on one's toes, and resourcefulness are huge pluses, as volunteers will have to come up with activities that can involve the kids for a sustained period of time.

Suggested Donations

Volunteer Visions appreciates your help in bringing clothes both for babies and older kids, toys, flashcards, craft materials, and medicine in case that the children catch colds or come down with fevers.