Provide Essential Medical Care to Locals

The program

The mission of this program is to provide medical care to those in need in Cusco, the gateway to the ‘Lost city of the Incas’ – Machu Picchu. Unfortunately, many of the people of Cusco are not benefiting from these tourism dollars, with around fifty percent of the population living in poverty. This is higher than in other areas of the country, where an estimated 22 percent of the population lives in poverty. The impoverished people of Cusco are largely unseen by the tourist, living on the outskirts of town or in the outlying rural areas and villages, trying to make a living as best they can.

This program makes a real difference to the people of Cusco by supplying medical assistance to help those who need it most. Volunteers will work in medical facilities where the need is greatest at the time, supplying quality care and sharing their knowledge and skills as required.

Goals of this Project:

• Provide essential medical care to the most vulnerable people of Cusco
• Improve the health and wellbeing of some of the poorest people in the world
• Enable international volunteers to spend time working with those who need it most
• Enable inter-cultural exchange which benefits both locals and international volunteers alike.

How you can help

Volunteers play an essential role in providing medical care to the impoverished people of Cusco. Love Volunteers' local team places medical volunteers in local health care facilities to work where it is needed most. The facilities and equipment are often very basic and volunteers can make a huge difference to the everyday life of those who do not have regular access to medical attention. Volunteers will have the opportunity to participate in different areas depending on their expertise and skills. Often this involves assisting the local staff, laboratory work and health campaigns, as well as undertaking routine hospital tasks such as making beds, cleaning and talking with patients, preparing medical materials and sterilizing equipment.

Medical volunteers in Peru should understand that independence in medical projects will always be determined by their level of training and expertise, Spanish level, age, ability to take initiative and duration of the program. Cusco is a very welcoming tourist area, filled with many places to see and things to do on volunteer’s down time. The Plaza de Armas, the tourist heart of the city, is close to where volunteers will be based, and features a multitude of restaurants, cafes, and bars.

Volunteers will contribute in a number of ways on this program and can expect to undertake the following tasks:

• Provide essential medical care to locals, dependent on volunteer’s qualifications, skills and experience
• Undertake routine hospital tasks as required
• Work on health and education campaigns

A volunteer’s work day on this project will generally last between 4 and 6 hours and while we ask all volunteers to be flexible in this regard, a typical daily schedule is likely to go something like this:

8:00am Breakfast at the host family accommodation

8:30am Walk or bus to project site

9:00am VOLUNTEERING DUTIES START

A tea break and lunch break will be fitted in during the day, but often the timing of breaks will change based on the needs of the local staff and number of volunteers on hand.

1:00pm VOLUNTEERING DUTIES END

1:30pm Walk or bus back to host family accommodation

Evenings Free time to relax and have dinner with your host family or explore the sights and sounds of central Cusco!