International Service Learning (ISL): Traveling - Service Programs in Peru

The narrow desert belt of Peru’s Pacific coastline stretches the length of the country and harbors fishing villages, beautiful beaches, agricultural lands, and Peru’s major towns and cities, including the capital of Lima. The amazing Andes Mountains separate the arid coastline from the lush Amazon Basin. The ecologically rich tropical rain forests of the Amazon encompass some of the world’s most remote and least explored areas. The Amazon Basin is also home to millions of indigenous highland people, who speak the ancient Inca language of Quechua and live in traditional villages with steeply terraced agricultural fields and wandering herds of llamas and alpacas.

We offer three different routes during the duration of our trips to Peru. These are the communities we serve:

Communities of Coastal Route Teams: Lima – Pisco/ Paracas

Lima San Juan de Lurigancho community: San Juan de Lurigancho community of the ‘Cono Este’ slums on the east side of Lima, Peru (it is Lima’s largest barrio). Our volunteers aim to give support health to the families who live in this sandy mountain; and slowly turn it into a community. There are no roads up the hill to the communities we serve; access is via a series of long stairways. There are schools at the bottom of the hill, but many children are too poor; abandoned or at risk to attend, these are the children we are coming to help educate and provide medical support. Every day; our volunteers accompanied by the Peru ISL team, travel an hour from the housing to the communities; crossing the long way traffic of Lima Centre, just to see and play with their little buddies of the community.

Pisco community: After spending time working usually 5 days in Lima, our ISL teams travel by private transportation or a tour bus to areas in the south of Lima following the coast line arriving to Pisco city; located in the Ica Region of Peru. Every day, volunteers travel by bus usually 30 minutes from the hotel to the shanty towns in Pisco city to provide medical attention and visit houses of those people whom were affected by the earthquake; these people were relocated to areas where the poverty persists and lack of education. Peruvian government relied on its relocation but gradually were abandoned over the time. Our volunteers feel so proud helping people that receive us with a big smile every time arrive this community.

Communities of Machu Picchu route: Líma – Cusco

Cusco Communities: After giving health care to local communities of Lima; our teams of ISL take an hour flight from Lima to Cusco City. Then, our teams usually travel by bus from Cusco City to  communities of Ancahuasi, Mahuaypampa, or Paucartambo; rural areas of Cusco city, where we visit communities which habitants rarely receive health attention. These provinces are located in the Cusco Region in the southern highlands of Peru live mainly indigenous citizens of Quechua descent and Quechua is the language which the majority of the population speaks. Most of the time our teams need a local translator of quechua to help us during our clinic days and house visits. The thing that the volunteers most enjoy about the communities is the people, all little cute children and beautiful landscape.Be aware that the altitude in Cusco is extremely high so it is important for our volunteer’s to understand the potential for altitude sickness. If you have asthma or any sort of respiratory issues, make sure to bring all necessary medication or equipment.

Communities of The Amazon route: Líma – Iquitos

Iquitos Communities: Iquitos is the largest city in the Peruvian rainforest and the fifth-largest city of Peru. It is also the capital city of the Loreto Region and Maynas Province. Located in the Amazon Basin. After that our ISL teams finish their health work in Lima; they fly approximately one hour and a half from Lima to Iquitos with the purpose to visit houses and provide health care in tribes or villages; such as Yahuas tribe or Santo Thomas located across the Nanay and Momon river. The kind of transportation we commonly use are motorcycles or moto taxis; then we take a bote locally named “Pequepeque”; a small public motorized boat, used to cross Nanay river and reach  at the village. Volunteers love this adventure in the jungle o Peru especially when they play with kids.

Continuing Education units for LPNs and RNs are also available if previously requested. Learn more on the Nursing Continuing Education page on our website.