Imagine living somewhere in a small village high up in the Andes, tending animals and growing a few meager subsistence crops. Survival is a daily battle. Your dwelling is a small adobe hut that you share with 5 other people. Electricity and water are luxuries. There is no transportation, walking, sometimes for days is the only way to get around, to get to the market towns, to get to school or wherever you need to go. Imagine watching well clad tourists with guides and pack animals walking by your hut or field at regular intervals, looking at your 'charming' abode, not knowing the hardships of the daily life within.
Tourists have been coming to Peru in ever increasing numbers, yet most people benefit little from it - especially when the operators or hotel chain management is an international corporation. At best they might work as porters on the various treks. Their pay is often not very good, especially when working with one of the cut throat discount 'cheapest of cheap' tour operators. It is disheartening and frustrating that all these tourists dollars have so little effect on improving the living conditions of local people.
To alleviate this situation a small tour operator in Cusco has started to work with one local community that has expressed a wish to get involved with sustainable tourism to provide services to tourists, and in turn to allow tourists to really interact with them through a range of volunteer projects. If you really want to get to know the heart and soul of the people, this project is a great opportunity to give back and to partake in a tiny glimpse of Andean reality - and to be part of the positive change that is taking place there.
Projects range from supporting efforts to fix up the most needy and dilapidated dwellings, to buying and donating school supplies, to cooking breakfast for about 30 school kids, to buying and supplying hygiene kits to local people and to teach them how to use them, to planting trees as part of the UN project.
This volunteer program is very direct in the sense that you personally will have a huge impact on these peoples lives. You can see directly where your money is going and you can be sure that it will benefit those who it was intended for.
The community has built a campground and kitchen where volunteers can stay and meals are provided. Most volunteer initiatives take 1 day, but you can stay longer if you wish, or integrate a volunteering day into your itinerary. To find out more, just ask! info@sacredearth-travel.com
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