Volunteer in Peru

Peru is a democratic republic in South America with a population of about 20 million. It is a geographically diverse country encompassing the highlands of the Andes, the jungles of the Amazon rain forest, and the Coastal Desert. Many of our programs are located in Lima, the capital of Peru, which has a population of around 8 million.

Most of the residents of Lima live in “shanty towns” or towns that were established about 30 years ago by people emigrating from the highlands to Lima to look for work. They would find a piece of land that seemed to be unused and construct houses made of plywood, plastic, metal, and any other materials they could find. Although the people in the shanty towns are still very poor, some families living on one dollar a day, they have a great sense of community and are committed to improving their environment.