Volunteer in Peru in the Amazon for Free! I am sharing this information for anyone who is interested in volunteering in the Amazonian region of Peru. Me and the awesome teen (then much younger) almost did this for a few months, but travel plans changed.
I did volunteer briefly at Mother Teresa Charity in Cusco, Peru. You can read about it here.
I got sidetracked and never shared this info. Recently I came upon an old email so decided now was the right time to get a post up and hopefully bring this great organization – Yantalo – some motivated folks to offer their time and expertise.
Read the email I received back from the director below, and tell me that this is not an organization you would be excited to work with:; so friendly and welcoming.
This is a family friendly volunteer opportunity as well, they were happy to have both the awesome teen and myself spend time in the town.
You do not pay a fee for this opportunity – why I consider it a free program, most organizations make you pay for a volunteer placement.
They do ask for a small contribution towards your room and meals during your stay; around $10 per day. This money helps local families so is really a great add-on to your volunteer stint.
The organization serves a very poor community in the isolated Amazon region of Peru. It was founded by Luis Vasquez MD, a retired cardiologist whos mother was born in Yantalo in 1905.
It is a very small rural town with a population of around 3000.
Luis is a member of Rotary Club of Gurnee, Illinois, USA. After traveling to the area in 2005 he and his family set-up the Yantalo foundation. The main needs of the community were health care and education. There is a local school where volunteers can help out and medical facilities.
Quoted from the website:
“We invite you to volunteer in Yantalo in the Peruvian Amazon Jungle. Share your skills, knowledge and time with the people of Yantalo in the areas of Education, Health, Art, Music and/or Sports.”
So nice to hear from you and to see your enthusiasm on volunteering in Peru. You and your son would make a difference in the community. You can work with the English teachers, You son can teach how to write and read to some of the adults in Yantalo.
At school you can also work with the art teachers or develop your own depending on total time you plan to stay in Yantalo. Do you have any idea? And when would you plan to begin?
Kindly send us a copy of you CV and please lets continue our communications in order to accomplish your desires to volunteer in PERU.
You can stay with a family in Yantalo. At a cost of US$2.00 per person per night. Meals are very cheap. THREE meals for about 6 to max 8 US dollars a day per person. Are these prices in your range of possibilities?
Last time each of you got your yellow fever vaccination? Both have current US Passports, I assume?
Looking forward to hearing from you soon
All the best and let’s work together!
Sincerely, Luis
The email for Yantalo goes directly to the founder Luis: lvasquez (@) yantalo.org
C Luis Vasquez MD
Founder & President
Yantalo Peru Foundation
Since 2005
You can send a note via their contact form on the website here: Yantalo Contact Form.
Yantalo phone number is: 1 877 220 7378, 847 561 5732 [USA]
Photograph courtesy of Yantalo.org.