FIMRC

Peru’s medical facilities are critically understaffed and underfunded, and many medical establishments struggle to provide even basic medical care to the people they serve. The hospitals are overburdened with patients, many of whom have illnesses preventable by basic hygiene and healthy living practices. The doctors in these hospitals lack the time and resources to teach each patient how to live a healthy life. The central goal of FIMRC’s Peru program is to provide staff support to Peru’s Ministry of Health both in medical facilities and within the community.

To work toward these goals, volunteers will:

• Assist doctors in the examination room, help with patient intake by recording vital signs for each patient and visit homes in the community with nurses.
• Run interactive health education workshops in local schools and orphanages. This includes showing children how to brush their teeth, explaining the importance of hygiene and washing hands and demonstrating the treatment of minor cuts. Students will also work with the parents to ensure safe and hygienic water treatment and cooking practices.
• Participate in cultural activities pertinent to the project location. Some groups will meet with a local shaman to learn about traditional Andean medicine. Others will tour important natural and cultural locations of interest. Part of the goal of this project is for the student to form a connection with local sites and populations.

Our project in Peru is unique in that students will be working in public hospitals and clinics rather than a FIMRC clinic, offering a unique glimpse into systems of medicine vastly different from those in the US. Students will at once witness the problem (a severely underserved population) and attempts at a solution (Peru’s socialized medical system) in three drastically different arenas: an urban center on the coast, an urban area in the Andes, and a rural area in the Andes.

FIMRC sends volunteers to three Peruvian sites: Trujillo, Agallpampa, and Huancayo. Trujillo and Huancayo are major cities; Agallpampa is a rural village.

Trujillo – A coastal city of 600,000 and the capital of the Peruvian north, Trujillo is steeped in Latin culture and archaeological history. Spanish colonial mansions still stand in the central district of Trujillo. Volunteers are a fifteen-minute bus ride away from some of Peru’s most important historical sites, including the ancient Moche administrative centers and temples that predate the Inca by 1,500 years. For relaxation, volunteers are twenty minutes away from Huanchaco Beach, a famous Peruvian surfing destination. Trujillo is an 8.5-hour bus ride or 45-minute plane ride from the capital of Lima.

Agallpampa – A village of 700 people at 10,000 ft above sea level, Agallpampa is the regional center of a sprawling network of Andean villages. On the way to Agallpampa’s health center, volunteers will witness the area’s pastoral landscape sparsely populated with adobe houses. On Agallpampa’s horizon is the Andes mountain range, which many consider to be among the world’s most beautiful scenery. It is important to note that life in this area is more rustic than in the city: volunteers will be living in a house, but running water is scarce and warm showers uncommon. Agallpampa is 2-2.5 hours east from Trujillo by bus. Volunteers will assist in Agallpampa’s primary care clinic.

Huancayo – Located in Peru’s central highlands, Huancayo is a culturally vibrant city surrounded by small artisan towns. Its hiking trails and nightlife make it a popular destination for visitors. It is rich in Andean culture and has a more heavily native population than the more pan-Latino coast. Huancayo’s high standard of living is comparable to that of Trujillo. It is 6.5 hours away from Lima by bus.

Volunteer Details

Project Peru is currently able to accommodate groups of 6-30 volunteers. Groups of 10 or fewer will be placed at our site in Trujillo, while groups larger than 10 will be split among our three sites.

Spanish proficiency is recommended, but not required by FIMRC. Keep in mind that your shadowing experience may be conducted entirely in Spanish with the possibility of an English translator. Volunteers may find the experience to be more enriching if they have some familiarity with the language.

The nature of the volunteer mission to Peru will vary depending on the number of volunteers in each group, the seasonal timing of the mission, the length of the volunteer trip, respective proficiencies in Spanish, medical expertise and training, and the current needs of the community and the clinic upon arrival.

If you are not part of a group and are interested in traveling for periods of four weeks or more, please consider our Summer International Health Fellowship Program. Every summer we host this program in Huancayo, Peru for pre-set session dates to provide a more immersive experience to those interested in health professions.

We will arrange homestays for volunteers with Peruvian families. For the first and last nights of the trip, many volunteers will stay in a comfortable backpackers’ hostel in Lima overlooking the Pacific Ocean. FIMRC screens all families and ensures that everyone is satisfied with their placement. The housing cost includes 3 home-cooked meals.

We ask that you indicate all housing preferences, including pet and food allergies, in the enrollment forms. All of the houses are clean with western style toilets and showers. Transportation within Peru will be arranged by FIMRC, and paid for by the volunteer directly to the FIMRC office.

All volunteers will fly into Lima and will either take an overnight bus that arrives at their destination in the morning or they will stay at the prearranged backpackers’ hostel in Lima and travel to their destination the following day.

The vaccination requirements for travel from the U.S. to Peru change from year to year. Please refer to the website of the Centers for Disease Control (http://wwwn.cdc.gov/travel/destinationPeru.aspx) for updates on outbreaks and vaccination suggestions. FIMRC recommends that all volunteers are up to date on vaccinations as outlined by the CDC.

We require all participants in the Global Health Volunteer Program to possess health insurance either from your current provider or from a third-party travel insurance company; for your protection, your insurance policy must include medical evacuation coverage.

Please remember to bring sufficient personal medications, if needed, for the entirety of your time away from home.

US citizens can enter the country with their U.S. Passport. Volunteers who do not hold a US passport must check with the embassy for current regulations. Please see the embassy website and look up visa requirements.

The following are costs payable to FIMRC for a volunteer mission in Peru:

• Program donation:
• $699 per week during peak months (January, March, May, June, July)
• $599 per week during semi-peak months (February, August, September, December)
• $499 per week during off-peak months (April, October, November)
• Housing/Food/Transport: $450 per week

Note: Program donations are determined based on the date of departure as it relates to peak, semi-peak and off-peak periods. Some meals may not be provided while in transit between Lima and the project sites.

The following are additional estimated costs:

• Airfare: $600-$900 depending on travel dates & season
• Spending money: $150 (minimum recommended amount for miscellaneous daily expenses during your trip)

The Project Peru Team

The following staff members have been closely involved in establishing the clinic and volunteer program in Nicaragua. To contact a team member with further questions please email info@fimrc.org.

Alejandro Silva Santisteban
Field Operations Manager, Project Peru

Alejandro, or Alex, handles all logistical FIMRC issues in Peru, and works closely with clinic staff, community members, and the volunteers to maximize the impact of the clinic in the community.

Elena Traverso
Site Coordinator, Huancayo

Elena is the site coordinator of the second project site FIMRC supports in Peru, Huancayo.

Diana Morales
Site Coordinator, Trujillo

Diana is the site coordinator of the project site FIMRC supports in Peru, Trujillo.

Sara Schoenleber
VP of Volunteer Programs, Global Health Volunteer Program

Sara is presently the main coordinator for the Global Health Volunteer Program, handling all stateside logistical issues. Sara is responsible for the coordination of volunteers prior to departure and management of volunteers worldwide.

If you are interested in volunteering at this site, please email missions@fimrc.org.