Volunteering in Peru – we are an artesania (handicraft) family from Ayacucho, Peru. We run free English classes for local children and are in need of volunteers to teach these classes.
Classes are held Monday to Friday and you will be asked to teach for 1–3 hours per day (depending on the number of volunteers at the time).

In return, you will live with us, a traditional Peruvian family, and enjoy a cultural experience: you can learn our artesania techniques, try delicious home-cooked Peruvian food and learn the recipes,
join traditional religious festivals and much more. We have several other projects that are all supported by our family-run artesania company, Wiñay Maki. We have been hosting travellers since 2010.

What type of host are you?

• Private/individual / family

What are you looking for help with?

• Teaching English /
  language exchange

What is the mission of your community?

Wiñason is a Quechua word meaning “growing”. It is our goal and dream to help people from disadvantaged backgrounds
in Ayacucho so that they can grow and thrive. We have two main missions:

1. Help the people of Ayacucho who come from low socioeconomic backgrounds. We want to empower these people through education
   and work, and allow them to broaden their opportunities for the future.
2. Preserve artisan traditions and spread our art. Unfortunately, our traditions are being lost, so we want to prevent this
   by teaching people our handicraft techniques and exporting our products overseas.

How many volunteers could you host?

• We can host groups of volunteers.

When would you need volunteers?

All year long.

How many hours of help per day?

Teach for 1–3 hours per day
(depending on the number of volunteers at the time).

How many days of help per week?

5 days per week – 2 days off

Note about the volunteer work and other expectations

• No prior teaching experience required.
• A minimum intermediate level of English is required.
• Basic Spanish is useful as the family does not speak much English, but if you are open-minded and willing to learn,
  you are sure to pick up the basics in no time.
• We also welcome anyone with skills who may be able to help us in other ways, such as
  building
  (we are still expanding the house), graphic design or helping with the export of our artesania goods so that we can spread them to other countries.

Are accommodation and food included?

Yes, we offer food and accommodation.

What type of accommodation can you provide?

• Private room
• Private room for a couple

Diet – nutrition information

All meals are home-cooked Peruvian food made by Victoria, the mother. If you have dietary requirements, please let us know.
In the past, we have hosted vegetarian and vegan volunteers.

Fees transparency

Our program is free, including accommodation, and you will have three meals a day with the family.

While it is not obligatory, it is a great help for us if you can occasionally help with the grocery shopping. In addition, we love it when volunteers cook meals from their own country.

Visa – could you provide visa support, information or invitation letters?

We cannot help with visas but we can offer general assistance.

Volunteering in Peru, benefits

By staying with us, you will have an authentic Peruvian experience. You will:

• Become part of a Peruvian family and see what local life here is like.
• Learn our handicraft techniques, including embroidery and weaving.
• Shop like a local at the markets with Victoria, eat delicious home-cooked Peruvian dishes and learn how to cook them.
• Go to religious festivals (Ayacucho is famous for its numerous festivals throughout the year), all while helping the children of the area.

If you wish to see the countryside, you will also have the opportunity to visit Millpu, Ciriaco’s (the father’s) hometown.

What to do in the free time

Ayacucho is famous for its numerous churches and religious festivals. There are also many interesting places that you can visit on day trips including Quinua, Wari (ruins),
Pikimachay (ruins), Niñobamba (natural hot springs) and Millpu (Aguas Turquesas).

Language

Spanish, Quechua.

Geography

Ayacucho is the capital city of the Huamanga Province and the Ayacucho region. It is located in the central highlands at an altitude of 2761 m (9508 ft).

How to get to your site

You can get to Ayacucho by either aeroplane or bus. From Lima, it is approximately 1 hour by plane or 10 hours by bus.
There are several bus companies that offer overnight buses from Lima to Ayacucho. If you are new to South America and do not speak much Spanish, Cruz del Sur has a website in English where you can buy tickets online, either in US dollars or Peruvian soles.

Specific instructions for arriving at the house will be given once your stay is confirmed. We are located in the Santa Ana area.

Is there internet access?

Yes.

“Paying guests” option – could you accommodate “solidarity” tourists?

Maybe. This needs to be discussed via email.

Contact details 📩

For more volunteering opportunities in Peru, click here.

Go to teaching English programs around the world.