Ayacucho

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Volunteer Work in Ayacucho

In Ayacucho, you can choose the Intern Abroad or Volunteer Abroad program. Since many residents in Ayacucho lack necessities such as clean water, daycare, education, and healthcare, volunteer placements are largely focused on serving the basic needs of the community.

Caregiving : Volunteers in Ayacucho work side-by-side with local people who provide caregiving services by caring for infants and children or the elderly. Daycares often operate informally out of women’s homes, and there are few places that provide necessary services to abandoned elderly. Volunteers support staff members, serving meals and providing an extra pair of hands at daycares, community centers, and other local organizations.

Community Development: Volunteers share their professional skills and experience and work toward women’s empowerment. Community members are striving to make adequate income and there are not many jobs available in the formal economy. Many have turned to drug-trafficking in their search to provide for their families, and are sent to prison, where they are able to learn various crafts to make money legally. Volunteers work in the prison with women and their small children who live with them, playing with the children, teaching new skills to the women, and helping with arts & crafts projects that the women can sell at the markets.

Healthcare: Volunteers observe and assist local health professionals in the few, often overcrowded health clinics in the area, supporting understaffed healthcare workers with their large daily caseloads of patients. Volunteers work closely with trained health professionals to observe and, depending on the volunteer’s level of Spanish, help with routine duties such as weighing and measuring babies, or taking patient vital signs to help local professionals dedicate more individual attention and time to each patient.

Teaching: Volunteers in Ayacucho teach children and also teach conversational English in a variety of settings. Working in primary and secondary schools, volunteers bring fresh energy and ideas. In the local community organizations that offer English classes for adults, volunteers can make a difference through teaching and sharing stories in English. Volunteers may assist a teacher, plan recreational activities, teach special workshops, or engage in cultural exchange with students of all ages.

Learn more about our volunteer work and placement process.

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Cultural & Learning Activities in Ayacucho

Building on your volunteer work in Ayacucho, Peru, Cultural & Learning Activities allow volunteers to experience all the community has to offer, within and beyond the context of your volunteer experience. All CCS programs include a detailed orientation, feedback sessions, language training, field trips, guest speakers and participation in local activities.

In Peru, volunteers engage in conversation with local experts who visit the Home-Base in Ayacucho to discuss topics ranging from Peruvian history and politics to herbal medicine. Some possible guest speakers include local musicians and artisans, local experts in history, religion, and the Quechuan culture. There are weekly Spanish classes, trips to nearby Inca and Wari ruins, and a visit to the artisan town of Quinua may also be included.

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Free Time in Ayacucho

During their Free Time, volunteers in Ayacucho may visit with local residents or students attending the University in Ayacucho, the second oldest in the Western hemisphere.

On weekends, many volunteers go on llama treks, visit nearby villages, or go hiking through the Andes or to the area's look-out points for a view of the spectacular landscape.

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Home-Base in Ayacucho

The Home-Base in Ayacucho is centrally located, just blocks away from the main plaza in town. The house includes a kitchen, dining area, and common space for volunteers. Volunteers are three to four in each room. On the roof of the Home-Base overlooking Ayacucho, many volunteers choose to socialize or enjoy time writing in their journals and reflecting on their experience.

Rudy Anyosa, CCS' Program Director in Ayacucho, was raised in Ayacucho and says:

"We facilitate volunteers so that they may be involved in hands-on work and the Quechua culture...we let them have a real immersion in the Peruvian culture."

The local CCS staff in Ayacucho will make you feel at home during your stay and help you to better understand the culture. Staff cooks prepare typical Peruvian cuisine for the volunteers, and transportation to and from your volunteer placement and any Cultural & Learning Activities in Ayacucho is provided by CCS' licensed drivers.

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In-Country Staff in Ayacucho

Local CCS staff in Ayacucho will welcome you to the community, make you feel at home, and help you better understand Peruvian culture. They help facilitate your volunteer experience and are always available to answer any questions that may arise. CCS staff is always from the region where we operate—they provide a local perspective, help you with learning the local language, and guide you in what to do in your free time.

All of our in-country staff members are warm, loving people who will make sure you are well cared for. Each CCS program site has a Country Director or Program Director and a full staff to take care of all programming, administrative, and logistical needs, as well as housekeepers, drivers, house guards, and cooks. Because the staff office is typically located at the CCS Home-Base, a helping hand is never far. Learn more about our Ayacucho staff below.

Program Director: Rudy Anyosa
Born in Lima, Rudy was raised in Ayacucho and spent the greater part of his adult life there. Rudy has spent several years as a university professor in the field of economics in Ayacucho, and has held the position of Program Design Coordinator for Caritas Ayacucho, an NGO that promotes social and economic development of the Ayacucho region. At Caritas, Rudy designed and carried out projects such as an agrarian income generation program for low income people living in the countryside, and negotiated conditions with foreign donors such as the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) for the use of funds assigned for Caritas and its projects. Rudy speaks four languages including French, Spanish, English, and Quechua. His fluency in Quechua allows him to stay closely tied to the country’s history.

Rudy earned his doctorate degree in sustainable development in 2006, and holds a master’s degree in economic development. He has completed post graduate courses focusing on poverty alleviation in Latin America, accounting for sustainable economic and social development and rural development, and poverty and environment in the post-adjustment era.

Rudy has been Program Director for CCS Ayacucho since its first group arrived in 2001. In this role Rudy works closely with our Partner Programs, maintaining and building relationships, and developing new volunteer placements. His extensive educational background, in-depth understanding of local and national issues, and personal connection to the local community contribute directly to his expertise in identifying and facilitating volunteer work that has a positive impact on the community.

Program Officer/Intern Supervisor
The Program Officer assists the volunteers in their daily activities and helps Rudy with logistics. The Program Office is also responsible for assisting with the coordination of volunteer placements and helping to maintain CCS' relationship with volunteer placements in Ayacucho. 

Office Manager: Gertrudes "Trudy" Palomino
Trudy is in charge of managing the finances and other administrative tasks. Trudy is a committed CCS Ayacucho staff member, who works closely with Rudy and Marisol to ensure that the program runs smoothly.

Drivers: Alejandro de la Cruz, Saul Anyosa, and Clever Gomez
Alejandro, Saul, and Clever are responsible for transporting volunteers between placements and cultural and learning activities, as well as airport pick-up and drop-off. Alejandro is quiet, but very kind and approachable, and Clever is very respectful and a great person to spend time with. Saul also works with CCS managing the maintenance of the Home-Base.

House Maintenance: Saul Anyosa
Saul works with CCS as both a driver and also coordinates and ensures that the house is run perfectly—including hot water, buying and preparing food, arranging the distribution of cars for the drivers, among many other tasks. Saul is very punctual and he has a great presence.

Housekeepers: Beatriz Rodriguez and Gesella Gutierrez
Beatriz and Gesella are in charge of cleaning the house and making sure it is stocked with all the necessary supplies. Beatriz is a sweet person who is always smiling, and Gesella is hard-working and a pleasure to be around.

House Guards: Walter Castro, Roberto Gomez, Emerson Quispe, and Nicolas "Niko" Bendezu
Walter, Roberto, Emerson, and Niko are in charge of the overall security of the house and make sure that all volunteers return safely back to the Home-Base each night. Walter always greets volunteers with a smile and Roberto is a pleasure to be around. Emerson enjoys talking with the volunteers and ensures volunteers' safety. Niko does a fantastic job keeping the volunteers safe and secure. He is very approachable and a pleasure to speak with. He will go out of his way to help volunteers and staff members.

Cooks: Paulina Vega, Vicki Dieguez, and Nievez de la Cruz
Paulina, Vicki, and Nievez are in charge of all meal preparations. If you have dietary restrictions or any food suggestions, please make a note of it in your Volunteer Profile. They are more than happy to accommodate all different types of food preferences and they work hard to provide volunteers with delicious meals.