Overview
Volunteer on construction projects in Peru, South America

Help bring water to families in Southern Peru, one of the driest place on the planet. Here the local families are extremely poor and many have no access to a water supply. GVI volunteers will work together with local staff to build a cistern which can dramatically change their standard of living within a couple of weeks. The work is hard but rewarding and the cistern will last for many years. This program runs for two weeks or more and takes you to the foot of the Misti volcano, in the south of the Peruvian Andes around the town of Arequipa. Here you will be building water cisterns for the Villa Santa Rosa de Chiguata community in the area surrounding the city.

10 hours of one-on-one Spanish classes are included in the program as is a mountain-biking adventure on Chachani volcano. Trips to Machu Picchu and the Inca Trail can be arranged from Arequipa and are fully recommended if you have the time and the budget.

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You'll know you've done a hard day's work and it is all so rewarding!

Megan Huckins, GVI Volunteer

What Difference Does This Project Make?

Many new communities have recently been established on the outskirts of Arequipa. These families come from the altiplano, or high plains, and are looking for a better standard of living for their families. Water is a scarce resource and the government considers these impoverished regions low on their list of priorities. The school where we run our education program was built in 2006 and much of the community is less than 4 years old. Water is vital to good hygiene, diet and farming. The most effective result of this construction project is to bring this essential element into these impoverished communities. Within 2 short weeks a GVI volunteer can change the life of a family forever.

Highlights

Make a visible, hands-on difference to the future of an indigenous community; get immersed in the local culture; experience and live amongst the breathtaking beauty of the Peruvian Andes region; build a cistern from scratch and see others in action; get one-on-one Spanish tuition and take a biking trip down the Misti volcano!

Location

Nestled high in the Peruvian Andes at 2800m, the town of Chiguata is a perfect base from this program. Our base town is the colonial capital of Arequipa. All of our volunteers live here and work in the surrounding communities.

Field Conditions

Volunteers spend their time in the beautiful colonial hotel Casa de Avila. Our base of operations is here as well as our Spanish School. It is a great location for our volunteers to get to know the other volunteers and GVI staff. You will receive hot water and three meals per day (except Sundays) are provided throughout your stay.