Peru: Sustainable Development

Project Summary

Our Sustainable Development program in Peru is for those volunteers who are interested in and concerned about preserving both natural, ecological environments as well as indigenous, community environments. This project is very outdoorsy and volunteers will be immersed in nature. Close contact with the indigenous community also plays a large part in the project. Our goals for this program fall in line with the goals of the indigenous communities involved in preservation projects, and those of the Reserves in the first place:

The Ashaninka Communal Reserve has great biological value, as seen in the important life zones it embraces, the presence of endemic species, and the diversity of its ecosystems. Because the Ashinka Communities traditionally use the Reserve to collect flora and fauna for food, medicine, and housing, the reserve holds important socioeconomic value as well. The main objectives of the Reserve are to protect the area's biological resources and hydrological supply for the Ashaninka populations and to protect the area's natural beauty and intrinsic cultural value.

At a Glance

Minimum Program Length:	2 weeks, but We prefer a minimum stay of one month. This allows you sufficient time to get accustom to the living conditions and wildlife, and then time to implement and assist with projects in a productive way.
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:	Basic housing within an Indigenous community will be provided, generally at a family hut or private cabin. Each site has slightly different living conditions. Sites are equipped with running water and toilets. The shower has cold water only and there is NO ELECTRICITY. Each volunteer will have a RUSTIC bed and shelf space. Satellite telephone service is available at Betania. Living conditions are rustic and difficult. The weather can be hot, humid and often rainy. There are bugs, bats and many other creatures. Please consider this environment BEFORE you apply for a position.
Food:	Volunteers receive three meals a day with boiled water. We buy food from local people and farms, including fruit, fish, chicken, roots, mushrooms, insects, and seeds. Food like noodles, oats, milk, coffee, oil, salt, sugar, etc. are bought in the city and brought to the site.
Pick-up Info:	Upon receiving your travel details, our coordinators will make plans to meet you at the airport the bus station. First day transportation to Satipo from Lima is by bus and then we continue by truck. On the second day we travel by boat.
Project Schedule:	This program can involve full days of work but schedules vary day to day.

Your role as a Volunteer

Volunteers live and work at Betania, Poyeni and Shevoriato communities, all of which are involved in the pilot project related to rainforest conservation, economic development and Indigenous rights in the Tambo River region of Eastern Peru. As a volunteer on this program, your role will be to help the communities as much as possible in building sustainable development.

Project Location

Atalaya is a beautiful mestizo town located two hours down river. Here, volunteers will find a post office, internet cafes, and telephones. There is also a satellite telephone at Betania and Poyeni, both Ashaninka communities. Volunteers will be provided with a card for national calls. More information follows:

General Information about the Location:

The Vilcabamba mountains, made a legend through the magic of Machu Picchu, are a geological fault which plunges into the central rain forests, trapped by the Ene, Tambo and Urubamba rivers. A long, complicated process of politicking, conference-holding and agreement forging concerning this region took place over the last 40 years or so between a number of parties, including the Organisation of American States (OAS), the Centre for Indigenous Amazonian Development (CEDIA), The Association for the Conservation of the Cutivereni Patrimony (ACPC), local indigenous institutions, and the Peruvian government (to name just a few). This process finally led to the creation of three new conservation units: the Otishi National Park and the Communal Reserves of the Ashaninka and Machiguenga. Together, the three areas cover 709,347 hectares and contain an enormous biodiversity.

The Ashanika Communal Reserve has a perimeter of 432.7 miles. Bounded on the North, West and South by native communities (mainly Ashaninka), and on the East by the Otishi National Park, the reserve is located in the western slope of the Cordillera Vilcabamba within a landscape of inter-montane valleys. Direct access to the Ashaninka Communal Reserve exists only via land through the traditional routes that the communities use to enter this area for hunting and collection purposes. The absence of road infrastructure for motorized vehicles on the left riverbank of the Tambo and Ene rivers holds back the migration of people into the area of the Reserve, resulting in almost intact conservation.

Suggested Language Level

Since you will be communicating with people 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

We suggest that those interested in volunteering on this program should have an investment in environmental rights, sustainable development, indigenous rights, and the conservation of indigenous culture, community and regions. Volunteers should be more than comfortable outdoors and fully immersed in the jungle.