Volunteering in Teenage Mothers Project

Share your time, caring personality, and passionate belief in female equality by volunteering in a teenage mom center; and supporting the young women who experience sexual assault and rape due to a lifestyle and circumstances blighted by poverty and inadequate education. As a volunteer in Peru your work makes a huge difference to the lives of marginalized young women who need all the help they can get to create a brighter future.

Most travelers visit Cusco and never leave the central area of the city, except for visiting Scared Valley and Machu Pichu. They take photos of the Plaza de Armas with its spectacular Spanish and Incan architecture, eat food at high-end Peruvian restaurants, and buy jewelry and souvenirs from decorated Peruvian women. Then they return home believing that they have experienced Peru, but in reality, they have not seen anything beyond the surface. If you want to travel with purpose and see beyond the usual attractions a volunteering Peru project can provide exactly that.

The reality is different

Every year 14% of all girls under 18 become pregnant in Peru, and 90% of these are a result of rape. Only 1 out of every 8 reported rapes is recorded as a crime, as most victims are teenage girls from poor and uneducated families who have no real voice. This situation is complicated by many cases involving members of her own family, and many of the underage pregnancies mentioned are a result of these crimes.

There are some organizations and individuals who are trying to help these moms and kids by teaching them how to bake {and sell) pastries to generate an income and gain essential business knowledge. In Cusco we support these programs through our volunteer in Peru opportunities, and we seriously welcome applications to join us and make a huge and direct difference to the lives of these young women and their children.

Skill/Qualification

There are no specific qualifications required to be part of this Teenage Mom volunteer work Peru project, but you do need some skills that would be useful for the project, and an understanding attitude to help these poor teenage moms and children. We desperately need volunteers who are enthusiastic about caring for other, and compassionate to the often-unfortunate situations of these children.

Volunteer's Responsibilities

When you join this teenage mom’s empowerment program as a volunteer in Peru you can get involved in all aspects of the project. The mom center is presently trying to generate income for the moms and children by making pastries, however, these young women are uneducated and very poor. They lack the business knowledge and skills to run a successful business, and often have no idea about things like sanitation and marketing. You can teach them every aspect of the pastry business, or any other which involves similar small income generating products.   Depending on your skills, expertise, and experience you may:

• Help in the kitchen, making various pastries, deli products, cakes, cupcakes, dough etc
• Help to distribute product to markets. You can talk with the owners of local coffee shops and small business who may be interested in buying the products
• Teach them how to run a successful pastry business. giving them training on personal hygiene, product quality, sanitation, and marketing 
• Teach English to both moms and children to develop their self confidence
• Cook food and serve it to the mom and their children
• Plan creative activities such as drawing, dancing, painting, art classes, etc.
• Play sports with the children
• Share any experience and knowledge you have that would be helpful to these women and children

Accommodation and Meals

The weekly fee for volunteering work in Peru programs include your meal accommodation throughout the projects and related travel time. Three traditional meals a day, (breakfast, lunch and dinner), are provided; made from local ingredients. Our meal program can accommodate vegetarian needs; however, we are not able to provide for other dietary restrictions. Food and drinks outside of meal times are the volunteer's responsibility. In most cases, there are restaurants and markets near the homes in which our volunteers stay.

When volunteering overseas in Peru, and based in Cusco, you will stay either with a well-screened and respected host family or in a hostel. Each host family has experience of hosting international volunteers, and they offer a safe home and shared bathroom facilities, with running water and a "western" style toilet. You can do laundry at the house or the host family may offer to wash it for a small fee. Your host family will prepare three meals a day for you that are typical in Peru. If you will be out of the house during lunch, you can ask your host family for a ‘to-go lunch’, or eat out on your own.

If volunteering in Peru and working in Manu you will either live with a host family, or in volunteer bungalows with indoor western-style bathroom and a shared kitchen and living space.

Specific details regarding accommodation, food, and contact details for your local coordinator will be provided in a personalized volunteer placement documentation, which will be sent prior to you beginning your volunteering work in Peru.

Accommodation and Meals

Our Peru in-country staff and other volunteers will gladly help you plan cultural and outdoor excursions and trips.  Our volunteer abroad in Peru projects are located in either Cusco or Manu National Park.

Cusco is a fabulous place for cultural activities, adventure, or for further travel. The city contains many attractions, such as historical museums, beautiful parks, colonial squares, stunning churches, ancient ruins, Incan streets, colorful markets, and endless adventure opportunities such as river rafting, quad biking, horseback riding, paragliding, zip lining, trekking and tours through the Amazon jungle and the Sacred Valley.

When volunteering overseas in Peru in Cusco you have many fantastic free time options. Of course there is Machu Picchu, its majestic and alluring simplicity beckoning from its perch high in the mountains. Reaching the summit does not have to be a weeklong commitment! There are options for everyone – trains or trekking (the original Inca Trail or jungle treks), will get you to the top in time to witness a breathtaking and magical sunrise.

Manu National Park is one of the largest parks in South America and is famed as one of the best places to explore the Amazon jungle. UNESCO names the biological reserve a World Heritage Site as more than 15,000 plant species and up to 250 varieties of trees can be found in one single hector! The variety of flora and fauna are endless, providing natural entertainment for any outdoor enthusiast volunteering in Peru in the Manu National Park.

Peru's landscape is varied and ranges from the high tips of the Andes Mountain, to dense Amazonian jungles, to the exquisite beaches along the Pacific. There is truly something for everyone in Peru. You will have plenty of free time from you volunteering work in Peru to explore this fascinating country.