Can you briefly describe your project?
Santo Turibio works with children with disabilities, from 2 to 17 years old, in Trujillo. They try to offer an education to children with disalbilities, with love and catholic values. They try to give skills to the children for them to be able to live in society. At 13 they can start learning at the bakery, or making bracelets, or carpentry, and shoes making. It is a big structure only for the poorest children, with around 150 children.
The school is really nice. Everyone makes you really feel like you’re welcome and appreciated.
You also have good free food at 10am, as a snack. They also sometimes do school trips (Chan chan, etc.)
How long does it take to go to the project from Huanchaco, and how much does it cost?
It takes about 1 hour, and costs 5 soles a day from Hco.
You need to take a H Corazon bus until the crossroad with Av America Norte and Miraflores. From there, you take a red collective to Santo Turibio. You need to take a red combi with letter. The area is called Florencia de Mora.
What is your role in the project?
The school asked me to design a product they can sell and make profit from. Then I am helping in the carpentry class. I am working everyday from 8am to 12pm.
I had never worked with disabled children before, so it was like discovering a new environment. My university was interested in design for development aid, and children with disabilities.
The relationship with the children is amazing. The children give trust really easily, and you become their best friend in one day. It is a really rewarding experience. In the school there is only one teacher for 15 kids, while in western countries, it’s generally 1 teacher for 3 kids. So they really need a lot of help. My role is more or less to be a teacher assistant. While I am designing the project I constently ask the kids what they think or want, for them to be involved in the project. One of the main part of my role at the school is the be there for the children, and talk with them;
Do you enjoy the experience?
Yes, I am learning a lot from it. I have the feeling that I really do something, that I am helpful.
Any general tip or advice you would give to the next volunteer?
Be patient. Don’t be afraid to talk and explain things with your hands. You don’t need to speak a very good Spanish. Watch out they are strong. It can be very emotionally engaging if you’re not used to work with disabled children.
Bob's email adress:
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Rollo’s experience : 2 weeks at Santo Turibio
Can you briefly describe your project?
Santo Turibio’s aim is to help children with physical and mental disabilities fulfill their potential, making them aware of their abilities and pushing them to excel becoming as independent as they possibly can be.
How long does it take to go to the project from Huanchaco, and how much does it cost?
Going from Huanchaco to the project takes between an hour and an hour and fifteen minutes. From Huanchaco to Trujillo you take a bus with a heart until the junction where Avenida America and Miraflores meet. This journey is S1 50 however if you have a student card and are insistent enough you can get it for .70 centavos. From this junction you take a car/ shuttle without any letter until Santo Toribio which is 1 sole. The whole trip costs between S3.40 and S5 you also pass the large market Ermelinda for cheap vegetables
What is your role in the project?
My role in the project was assisting a delightful teacher called Roxanne with a class of 9. Every morning they have the task of writing their personal details down and then we throughout the week do different activities with them such as cooking, dancing and making bracelets. My job was to help them and support them in doing everything they were doing.
Did you enjoy the experience?
My experience at Santo Toribio albeit only a short time I enjoyed immensely it was very fulfilling and I really felt that I could help the children not only that but at this project they do need the help!
Any general tip or advice you would give to the next volunteer?
I would say optimism is of paramount importance and also letting all your inhibitions go dancing and doing lots of things to encourage the children to do things and smile.
Rollo's email adress: rollomillership at googlemail.com
;)
Priscille & Maelys Varillon
Priscille and Maelys are two French sisters who volunteered with Otra Cosa.
A mix of fishermen, surfers, backpackers, tourists...
8.30 am : The fishermen on the beach arrange their nets to head of on their Caballito de Totora¨, typical fishing boat.
10.30 am : Chicos are playing football while tourist buses arrives invading the pier and ambulant sellers set up their business in the street, snacks, fresh juices, souvenirs, clothes...
Lunchtime : Flyers of menus attract clients in the restaurants...
That sounds like a tourist place, but two streets away from the beach, a real Peruvian life is going on: from the market to the 2m2 grocery stores, the trumpet of cycling bread sellers and the shouting of vegetable or tamales sellers are followed by the whistle of the street guardians.
Being a volunteer here is much more than helping but taking the time to live their real life learning day after day about this amazing and surprising culture.
8.30 am : We jump on our bikes to be 5min later en la casa Mundo de Niños. The house of these 14 kids is full of life all day long. While some are at school, we take the rest of them to the campo de football or to the beach to do sport activities. We try to make them spend their energy playing outside and rebuilding confidence in themselves while improving their sporting capacity. But who believes in Father Christmas? Some days it turns to playing cat and mouse, fishing crabs, inventing songs, or teaching english on the beach. This bunch of angels in front of us are still marked by their difficult passed and can suddenly forget how to behave. As you can imagine, it s not easy every day, but their unconscious gifts encourage us to carry on : these illuminated faces expressing the joy of an achievement, these shouts of welcome "voluntarias, voluntarias! llegaron!"
10.30 am : Back on our bikes, stealing kisses and whistles of men on our way, 20 min are enough to get to the school of Padre Thumba, CEP Corporation de Education Popular. Behind the iron blue gate, 7 classrooms, nearly all finished, open their doors to a big earth courtyard where the school break is about to finished. Putting together the equipment necessary to start our sport class, we can witness all the energy the teachers give for their kids. Taking 1 to 3 classes a day, we try to establish the habit of warming up before starting the activity of the day (football, baseball, scoutball, and volleyball) for the oldest - 6 to 9 years old, activity to feel and use the body in space for "initials" - 3 to 5 years old. The Padre, his camera, his dog Guardian, and his assistants are the package that will always support, congratulate and thank you for your help at the school. The door of the school comedor is always open to share the typical peruvian lunch cooked by the Mums.
Lunchtime : Either we go back to Huanchaco to meet friends to go surfing and enjoying a free afternoon before going back to Mundo de Niños, or we are going back home to enjoy a lunch on our roof before heading to ACJ en el Milagro.
This afternoon center welcomes 30 to 50 kids. After doing their homework with local staff, we organize games in their small playing area for those who are willing to play. As they are used to play by themselves, we found out the best option was managing games that doesn’t require a full time participation. Despite the echo of the playing room and the difficulty of explaining news rules in Spanish, their goodbye kisses and hugs as if we’ve known them for ages don t make us regret our long travel to this shanty town. Loyal to our bicycles, we have an hour ride back to Huanchaco dropping in the 1st kilometer the lucky happy kids that got on our bikes. Although the alternative of the "combi" (little bus) is more relaxing, nothing will replace for us the challenging race against the lowering sun on the pan Americana, to reach the beach for sunset.
From all the option of spending an evening here, the funniest is the typical Peruvian one; ending up having a drink sited on the pavement of a corner of whichever street. This amusing process actually starts earlier in the day when one would walk around without a goal and would meet within 2 "cuadras" (block) the friend that will guide his next 5 min walk before bumping into another one. And so on... Believe us or not, we’ve tried, this game can take you to a few hours walk crossing the town from side to side.
Fire camps on the beach, bars, friend’s house, we don’t believe it’s possible to get bored in Huanchaco!"
