Involvement Volunteers International WHY we need you in Peru
- Approx 40% living in Cusco, Peru are living below the poverty line.
- The average monthly wage in this region is only approx 338 Solas (USD $101)
- We can learn a great deal from their holistic cultures and their high-quality, low-impact ways of living.
- These are often socially conscious communities using participatory ways to enhance their spiritual, social, ecological, and economic aspects of life.
HOW can you help?
- Work alongside and shadow doctors and nurses
- As a medical volunteer, you can help make a true difference in the lives of healthcare professionals and their patients.
- You may also have the chance to take part in week-long medical campaigns and learn about healthcare systems in Cusco.
- Have the opportunity to work in hospitals, clinics, assisted living, and other healthcare facilities.
WHAT you can do?
- Assist with general check-ups, blood pressure and vital signs
- Organise patient records and prepare materials and equipment
- Running medical campaigns to provide healthcare, as well as dental and hygiene education, to underprivileged
Why Involvement Volunteers International?
- Non Profit Organisation & Charity with 35+ Years Experience
- Incredible Local Team with Outstanding Reviews
- Genuine Medical Experience in Real Hospitals & Clinics
- Low Program Fees - Starting US$350 in Peru
- Excellent Safety Record, In-Country 24/7 Support & Emergency Assistance
PROJECT NAME: MEDICAL VOLUNTEER PERU
LOCATION: CUZCO, PERU
START DATES: WEEKLY (SAT/SUN ARRIVALS)
ACCOMMODATION: HOME STAY
MIN DURATION: ONE WEEK
MIN AGE: 18+
SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS: YEARS 3 & 4 OF MEDICAL SCHOOL, LICENCED PROFESSIONALS, Criminal background check required
Overview
Many of the Peruvian hospitals are under-funded and as a result, under-staffed with limited resources to provide quality healthcare services. As a medical volunteer even with limited experience, you can actually make a big difference assisting qualified nurses, doctors, dentists, physiotherapists and various medical specialists.
Your placement will depend on experience, but you can expect to be shadowing doctors, performing assessments of height, weight, blood pressure, temperature, sterilization and general assistance. There’s always something to be done and the tasks are varied so it’s important the volunteers are ready and willing to learn and adapt to local conditions.
For those with relevent experience you’ll likely assist with cleaning wounds, giving injections, assisting nurses and doctors with physical examinations, taking blood, recording data, physiotherapy and various other support jobs.
It’s of significant advantage if you’re able to speak some Spanish (but this is not mandatory). You’ll need to provide evidence of prior learning during the application process, so we can assess where to best place you.
Location
Cusco, Peru – easily one of the top 5 ancient civilization centers in the world, is also home to immense scenic beauty, bio-diversity and incredible culture. On this project, you’ll be situated in Cuzco City.
Project Tasks
- Shadowing Doctors and Nurses and providing general outpatient support
- Assist with all facets of caring for patients in assisted medical facilities
- Assist in taking vital signs, and other medical checks
Food & Accommodation
Your accommodation will be in home Stay’s with middle class Peruvian families in Cuzco. You’ll likely be placed centrally or approx 10-15 min walk to the central volunteer & training centre. You can request to either share with other volunteers or have a private room in the home stay. For shared rooms, you’ll normally share with 1-3 other volunteers of the same gender and age group.
All host families are very experienced in hosting international volunteers and go through a rigorous process to ensure very high quality standards are met. These homes have electricity, western style toilets, running water, bed linen & basic amenities such as clean drinking water. Hot showers are less common however!
You’ll be provided a key to the house and are free to come and go as you please while being respectful of the house rules of the family. WiFi is available at some home stay’s however most volunteers will purchase a data plan for cheap to be used with their own device as required. Most families are happy to help with laundry, but you should expect to pay around US $2 per load if going to a local laundry service.
Breakfast & dinner are included each day. Peruvian food is very nice! Rice, beans, and corn are popular ingredients, and fresh root vegetables like cassava, taro, and sweet potato are in most dishes. You can also expect some fruits and vegetables, such as avocados (palta) accompanied by spicy aji salsa.
Specialty
Projects
- Rainforest Conservation
- Indigenous Community Immersion
- Public Health & Nutrition
- Medical Hospital
- Community Construction
- *Christmas & New Year Holiday
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1 Week - $520
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2 Weeks - $865
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3 Weeks - $1125
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1 Month - $1370
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2 Months - $2390
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3 Months - $3390
- Private rooms cost additional $150 p/week
What's Included
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Accommodation
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Meals
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Airport Pickup
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Local Transportation
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1 Day Orientation
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24/7 In-Country Support
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Project Materials & Equipment
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Pre-departure Expert Advice
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Preperation Tools & Checklists
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Certificate of Completion
- Application fee is one off per person (unlimited placements)
- Click Here to convert the below prices to your local currency
- Discounts may apply if travelling in a pair or group!
- All credit card /international fees included in below pricing! 🙂
Testimonials...
FAQ
If you are studying in a medical field and want to gain real world experience in professional hospitals and clinics in Peru this is an incredible experience that will likely equip you with new skills and confidence as you learn from qualified medical staff. Additionally, you can be assured that your efforts are actually making a difference providing vital support to under-funded and over-worked hospital staff.
- Accommodation
- Breakfast & Dinner daily
- Arrival airport transfer (Sat/Sun arrivals)
- Filtered drinking water, coffee & tea
- 1 day orientation
- In country 24/7 support & emergency assistance
- Fundraising support
- University course credits (where applicable)
- Certificate of Completion
- Airfares
- Travel Insurance
- Some daily transportation to/from the project (if applicable – approx US$1-3 p/day)
- Tours, Souvenirs & spending money
- Peru culture / history overview
- Spanish language lesson
- Customs / law’s / do’s & don’ts
- Volunteer expectations
- Home stay guidelines
- Travel opportunities during free time
- Overview of your placement
- Notes from previous placements to help maximize impact
Complimentary Arrival Transfer
You’ll arrive at Alejandro Velasco Astete International Airport (CUZ). When clearing immigration it’s best to simply state ‘tourism’. When you arrive you will be greeted by a member of our local team and taken to the homestay or the volunteer center for orientation.In-Country Transportation
Most volunteers will use in-expensive bus transport to get around and to travel to the project placements. Our coordinators will assist you with all the details while in country. A one-way trip rarely costs more than US $0.50 in Cuzco or nearby neighborhoods and maybe US $2 for longer distances. Taxis are also readily available in and around Cusco. Taxis cost approximately US $3 – $10 depending on duration. We recommend using formal taxis that use a meter to calculate the fare based on time and distance.Sunday – Arrival & Welcome
Monday – Orientation in Cuzco
Tuesday to Friday:
- Breakfast at the accommodation
- 4-6 hours of volunteer work either in the morning or afternoon
- Your own lunch at the accommodation or project site
- Free time
- Dinner at the accommodation
Saturday – Free time
Sunday – Free time
Weekends are always free for volunteers to relax and do as you please exploring the incredible sights in/around Cuzco. Most volunteers will organize to meet up at the volunteer center and head out from there. It’s worth noting that in this region, most families are religious with Sunday the day of rest this also means many stores and restaurants are closed on Sundays.
- At least 18 years of age
- Provide proof of academic of professional training
- Bring scrubs, closed toe shoes and stethoscope
- 3rd and 4th year medical students or professionals
Bordered by the Pacific Ocean, Brazil, Bolivia, Chile, Ecuador and Colombia this South American country of 33 million is an incredible destination.Peru has a fascinating 5000 year old history and unique cultural heritage that exists to this day!
With world renowned historical sites like Machu Pichu, incredible natural wonders like the Amazon rain forest, the Andes mountain range and loads of adventures such as rafting, zip-lining, paragliding and mountain biking, Peru is seriously an amazing place to visit!Don’t forget the Peruvian coastline which accounts for 10% of the whole surface of the country…Although the Incas are the most famous, there are other pre-Columbian cultures and unexplored archaeological sites which can be located in the North of Peru.
A country of contrasts, crazy traffic, 6700 meter high cities, amazing beaches and sunsets, tropical rain forests and lamas!While the Amazon represents 60% of the Peruvian surface, it is the least densely populated region of the country. Therefore, it holds a lot of uninhabited parts, untouched by humans and beautiful unseen areas. With all the madness of the cities, the countryside is never far and in our opinion, here is the place where you can experience something very unique and special. Here is where you will make a difference.
Peru has over 10,000 years of history! It’s no surprise that Peru has an incredible wealth of culture and tradition that is one of the most varied countries in the world.
As the 3rd largest country in South America Peru is divided into 25 regions and 11 eco-regions. With an enormous range of landscapes, biodiversity and natural resources, you can boil this down to 3 main regions being 1) Coast, 2) Mountains 3) Jungle.
Spanish is the official language and spoken by 85% of the population with 47 other native languages present among the various regions. Music and dance play a vital role in Peruvian society. Hispanic influences combine with Spanish and ancient styles to create a flair that is unique to Peru.
Peruvian’s are proud people and very aware of the natural world and the value of the Andes, Amazon and historic civilizations in this region. The country has overcome difficult political and economic issues.
The people are welcoming and attentive to visitors with food and music being the central point for celebrations and of course colorful dress which is unmistakable. Peruvian’s love football (soccer) which is the national sport and you can often see families playing together. Most of Peru is quite religious with Catholicism very prominent.
In Peru, personal hygiene and style are very important and people tend to dress neatly and professionally. Be prepared to cover your shoulders and knees, and wear clothing that is not revealing or extravagant
The climate varies depending on altitude and region, but for the most part the dry season is from May to November, and the ‘green’ season from December to April.
As Cusco is 3000 meters above sea level, the average temperatures in Cusco rarely reach above 25 degrees celcius. During the dry season expect sunny, warm days and cool nights. It’s generally warmer during the ‘green’ season with intermittent rain and sun during the day and mild rainy nights.
30 Years Non Profit Experience
IVI is an Australian charity & non profit organisation founded in 1989 and is one of the pioneers of overseas volunteering successfully placing over 20,000 volunteers globally.
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