Volunteer

We are always in need of an extra helping hand. If you would like to volunteer with us, please read about volunteering with Rurapuk below and fill out the application form

Peru

Peru is hailed as one of Latin America’s economic success stories. Its economy’s rapid growth (the fastest in the region in 2002) reflects the profits of a small elite, but eclipses the misery of the majority. More than half of all Peruvians subsist on less than $1.25 a day.

Lima is Peru’s capital city and is home to at least 8 million people. Most of these 8 million have migrated to Lima in the last 30 years to escape the severe poverty of Peru’s highland regions. Yet in Lima’s poorer areas a stunning 90% do not have access to health services, 59% are not connected to the piped water and sewerage system and 23% do not have electric power. As many as 25% of the children are malnourished.

What programs does AMURT in Lima run?

Rurapuk Mothers is a knitting collective in a poor neighborhood of Lima called “Paraiso Alto”. In Paraiso Alto there is no running water, sewage system, or telephone lines. About 25% of the people do not have electricity. Most families live in one-room shacks with dirt floors. There are no parks, green areas, or local doctors. The 15 women of Rurapuk Mothers have been working together for 3 years and make knitted finger puppets. The finger puppets are exported to the United States, Japan, Taiwan, Sweden and Italy, and sold over the internet: www.perupuppets.com.

The Rurapuk hot lunch program was set up for the children of the poorest of the poor in Paraiso Alto. Every day 25 children receive a nutritious vegetarian meal and for most it is their only hot meal of the day. The program is based on donations alone and a minimal amount is spent on administrative costs as 90% of donations go directly to the needs of the children.

Machu Picchu Stars is a group of hearing disabled who make dolls. There are at least 20,000 hearing-disabled persons in greater Lima, many of whom have been trained as seamstresses. They often cannot find work as employers find it too difficult to communicate with them in the fast pace and competitive environment of Lima's clothing factories. On top of this, the hearing disabled often live in extreme poverty and isolation due to their inability to communicate. The Machu Picchu Stars is composed of about 12 hearing disabled women and one man. They are talented, sincere, hard working, and have a refined sense of art and esthetics. Machu Picchu Stars produces ethnic Peruvian dolls wearing the traditional clothes of the people who live high in the Andes Mountains of Peru and high quality children’s clothes for export to the United States.

AMURT is based on Neo-Humanism, but what is it?

Neo-Humanism is a philosophy (not a religion) developed by the Indian philosopher Prabhat Rainjan Sarkar. The practice of Neo-Humanism follows a set of principles based on the ethic of universal love. This includes respect for all beings including plants and animals.

The woman who runs this project is called “Didi” which literally means sister. Didis are similar to nuns in that they are full-time volunteers of Ananda Marga who have devoted their lives to service.

Volunteers need not be followers of Neo-Humanist philosophy, but are asked to respect the principles by maintaining a vegetarian diet, not smoking or drinking alcohol while volunteering in/at the sites. You are welcome to participate in any meditation and yoga activities as much or as little as you like.

Who is Who?

Didi Ananda Muktivrata – Director
Kevala – Coordinator of the Machu Picchu Stars
Odile – Teacher of the Machu Picchu Stars
Señora Mercedes – coordinator of the Rurapuk Mothers and the Rurapuk Hot Lunch Program
Señora Alisia – coordinator of the Rurapuk Hot Lunch Program

What can you do to help us here?

Every volunteer brings a unique set of skills, experiences and expectations to the project. We will try to utilize these skills to meet the needs of the programs however some flexibility may be required. Volunteers will need to have a level of independence after the first weeks and to use their initiative to look for opportunities of how to best contribute to the project.

Some examples of what volunteers do are:

• Maintaining websites

• Comedor “sponsorship” administration

• Managing the Machu Picchu Stars (business skills etc)

• Running educational programs with the children from Paraiso Alto

• Administrative duties including:
  o fund raising
  o correspondence with donors
  o computer maintenance
  o grant writing

Project Fees

Volunteers are requested to make a minimum donation to the project by fundraising in their own countries before they arrive. This is to raise awareness of the project and to reduce the direct cost to the volunteer. Those volunteers who can afford the project fees on their own are requested to fundraise anyway as this is a way for us to educate others about Rurapuk. Potential volunteers who can not raise and/or afford the project fees are requested to contact us anyway so that we can come to some other arrangement.

Fundraising ideas may include: Auctions, morning teas, exhibitions, guess how many sweets are in the jar, raffles, garage sale, trivia/quiz nights, dinner parties etc. The internet is a good source of ideas if you are looking for that something extra (www.grant-tracker.org and many more).

Health Concerns

There are several serious sicknesses which are common in Peru:

MALARIA
Malaria is common in the Selva (rainforest) but not in Lima. If you are traveling to these regions it is wise to consider taking anti-malarial medication. Whilst this is not an issue in Lima, there are mosquitoes (especially in Chorrillos) and so it pays to bring repellant anyway and to sleep with a mosquito net to avoid the annoyance in the night.

YELLOW FEVER
Some countries may require that you have a current yellow fever vaccination certificate upon arrival if you have been visiting Peru. Please check with your local authorities before you come.

STOMACH DISORDERS
The number one rule is don’t drink tap water (including ice) unless it has been boiled. Try to avoid restaurants with few clientele as the food has probably been sitting around for longer; order/prepare meals that are hot and fresh; and try to peel your fruit where possible as you don’t know where it has been!

If you need medical attention at any stage during you stay, please tell Didi so that she can arrange to take you to the hospital/a doctor. For this reason, please ensure that you have travel insurance before you come to cover any medical costs.

Also, please see the World Health Organisation website and consult your doctor for more up to date and comprehensive information including vaccination requirements.

Visas

Most westerners can get a 3 month visa upon arrival. This is the best option for volunteers as you can just exit the country (Ie to Chile or Bolivia) and get a new 3 month visa when you return. You will also be given a tourist card. You will need this to leave the country, so hang onto it at all costs. If you wish to obtain a longer visa, please contact your local Peruvian consulate for details.

Chorrillos

Chorrillos is located in the South of Lima and this is where Didi also has a Neo-humanist pre-school. It is a typical Peruvian suburb with lots of activity, people, restaurants and things to buy.

Markets and shops

Markets and shops to check out whilst you are here include:

• Los Cedros (the local shops)

• Metro (the nearest department store and supermarket)

• Craft Markets

• The centre of Lima (for the experience!)

• Gamarra (clothing district)

Apartments

The average nice apartment in Los Cedros, Chorrillos costs approximately US$200 per month. However you may like to shop around and get something cheaper or more upmarket.

Getting around

There are four main modes of transport in Lima: Buses, Combis, Colectivos and Taxis:

• Buses function like buses all over the world and depending on your destination costs between .50 to 1.00 soles.

• Combis function like buses, but they are smaller, and the conductor spends most of his time hanging out the window or door yelling destinations to potential passengers. A combi costs about the same as a bus, but they go to more places and are a bit quicker.

• Colectivos are collective taxis and they have a yellow sign on the front window with their destination. They are quicker than combis, but slower than a regular taxi as they are constantly looking out for other passengers to fill the cab. A collectivo from Los Cedros to El Centro costs 2.50 soles.

• Taxis are best avoided at night time due to the risk of being robbed (especially when you are by yourself) however are reasonably safe during the day. A Taxi from Los Cedros to Lima costs about 10 soles, and more during the night.

Main destinations (From Av. Alameda Sur, Los Cedros)

There are numerous buses, combis and collectivos going in almost every direction. But here’s a few to get you started whilst you find your feet

Metro (Plaza Lima Sur) – take the number 18 combi to “Metro”
The centre of Lima – take the TACNA collectivo and get off at one of the intersections on the express way (you can take a bus too, but it takes forever)
Miraflores – Take the number 8 bus and get off at Ricardo Palma
Paraiso Alto - Take the number 41 combi to Cuidad de Dios (The Hospital) and then take the number 22 to Paraiso Alto

Eating in Lima

Chorrillos has plenty of shops and restaurants, but if you are looking for something vegetarian, we recommend the Hari Krishna restaurants in Miraflores and the center of Lima. Be aware that service here runs in slow time so if you’re looking for a quicker meal, order the menu of the day otherwise you could be waiting for up to an hour or more.

Travel

Travel to other places in South America or Peru is well worth it for the experience and may be a necessity to update your visa.

Some local airlines include:
Taca – www.taca.com
Star Peru - www.starperu.com 
Lan Peru – www.lan.com 
And you can look up the Lima international airport website to see which carriers fly in/out of Lima www.lap.com.pe

Airline travel information changes frequently so we recommend that you make use of travel guides such as rough guides or lonely planet which have comprehensive information about modes and costs of travel and ticket types.

Some local bus services include:
Cruz del Sur - www.go2peru.com 
CIVA - www.civa.com.pe 

Volunteer application form

 

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