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ProPeru Internships
All of this exists in a country with some of the most spectacular and varied scenery in South America. The Peruvian Andes are arguably the most beautiful on the continent and the mountains are home to millions of highland Indians who still speak the ancient tongue of Quechua and maintain a traditional way of life. But you don't have to be a zoologist, an anthropologist or a mountain climber to enjoy Peru, all you need is a keen eye, a love of landscape, and a willingness to meet the people.
Urubamba
The town of Urubamba is situated next to the voluminous Rio Urubamba in the heart of the sacred valley. This peaceful and intriguing town is surrounded by both historic ruins and snowcapped Andean peaks. Nearly 18,000 people call Urubamba home and it serves as a central point and major market for the surrounding communities. While there are several indigenous communities that are a short distance away from the town of Urubamba, Urubamba itself offers several comfortable amenities such as hot water, electricity, restaurants, bars, and cafes.
Cusco (NGO Summer Base)
Cusco is the archaeological capital of the Americas and the oldest continuously inhabited city on the continent. Its legacy as the seat of the Inca Empire is readily apparent. Many of the city streets are lined with original stone walls and crowded with Quechua-speaking descendants of the Incas. The word Cusco is the anglicized spelling of the Quechua word Qosqo. According to Inca mythology, when Manco Capac, the first Inca emperor saw the lush Sacred Valley, he struck a staff into the ground and declared the spot Qosqo which means "navel of the universe".
ProPeru Internship Options
NGO Internship - Supported internships in ProPeru host communities with language classes, excursions, and homestay immersion. Volunteers live in communities near a ProPeru office and 4 to 18 other NGO Interns, work alone or in small groups, and receive extensive staff support. Field Internship - More independent internship placements in communities within 4 hours of ProPeru headquarters. No language classes or excursions. Volunteers live remotely 1 to 4 interns per community, work on individual projects, and have periodic meetings with ProPeru staff.
Recent ProPeru volunteers have...
- Organized an ecotourism business and environmental education in the village of San Isidro de Chicon
- Installed over 900 clean burning stoves in rural homes throughout the Sacred Valley
- Directed and participated in public health campaigns about dental health, personal hygiene and parasitic infections
- Initiated, planned, and constructed a women and children's family center
- Assisted the community of Chichubamba in the creation and promotion of agrotourism
HEALTH PORTFOLIO IN PERU
ProPeru Health Volunteers work in local clinics, take part in rural outreach programs, collaborate with medical providers to develop and implement health education strategies, and research basic health care issues. Volunteers help improve basic health care at the grass-roots level, where their impact can be the most significant.
Health projects in Peru
- Clinical Work
- Public Health Education and Research Work
- Rural Outreach and Field Clinics
ENVIRONMENT PORTFOLIO IN PERU
In Peru, environmental problems are magnified by communities' direct dependence on their local environment for drinking water, wood for fuel, and land for farming. Environmental damage can have enormous consequences on a community's livelihood; likewise, meeting a growing community's needs can have important implications for the environment. ProPeru Volunteers are leaders in grass-roots efforts to protect the environment, working on projects such as forest conservation, installing efficient clean burning stoves, and developing alternatives to wood as a fuel source.
Volunteers also collaborate with various organizations to promote environmental education through projects like river and community town clean-ups, wildlife protection, and habitat management.
Environmental projects in Peru
- Conservation & Environmental Protection
- Environmental Education
- Sustainable Agriculture
- Clean burning stove project
- Ecotourism
SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PORTFOLIO IN PERU
ProPeru host communities face impediments to economic growth, such as limited education, substandard living conditions, high unemployment, increasing populations, unskilled workforces, and a lack of private sector investment.
Volunteers in Social and Economic Development work on a wide variety of projects including: classroom education support, small business development, women's center support services, language arts, computer science, physical education for children, and community empowerment.
Social and Economic Development projects in Peru
Social and Economic Development projects in Peru
- Community Empowerment
- Construction
- Education
- Gender Equity
- Agrotourism
- Vocational Center
NGO INTERNSHIP:
Program SummaryProjects: Project work 5 days a week
Orientation: Intensive orientation
Living: Homestay family
Spanish Classes: 4 days a week, 2 hours a day
Excursions
ProPeru offers cultural visits to ruins and archeological sites, local hikes, and mini-projects. Based on duration of program excursions may include:
Visiting Incan ruins in the Sacred Valley
Visiting Cusco-area Incan Ruins
Participating in remote community cultural events and celebrations
Short term weekend development projects
During free weekends, volunteers can also plan their own adventures
FIELD INTERNSHIPS
Prerequisites:
Advanced Spanish skills, demonstration of independence, intercultural experience, and project related skills.
Flexibility within project placements.
Program SummaryFlexibility within project placements.
Projects: Individual and small group projects 5 days a week
Orientation: Intensive orientation
Living: Homestay family
Excursions: Orientation trips only
Where: Communities within 4 hours of Urubamba
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“The multifaceted nature of its program (with the project, homestay, excursions, and Spanish classes) sets ProPeru apart from other volunteer organizations." - Leigh
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