Otra Cosa Network was started in 2004 by a Dutch couple as they from their vegetarian restaurant developed a small, low-cost volunteering agency supporting a few local projects with the help of volunteers. In 2007, our current directors, Peter and Juany Murphy, took over the organisation and now run it from England with the assistance of our on-site Operations Manager Alton Germain and Assistant Manager Laura Hoskins. Otra Cosa Network works with several different Peruvian charities and organisations to which we send willing and capable volunteers. Otra Cosa Network also has its own projects, HELP (Huanchaco Education and Learning Program) projects, started by volunteers who saw opportunites in helping the local community in Huanchaco in different ways. Most of the projects supported by Otra Cosa Network are supporting children and communities through teaching but we also work with projects supporting community health, animals, organic farming, etc. I have been working with Otra Cosa Network for a little over 2 months now. I am working on my master's degree in Development and International Relations in Denmark and I am doing a 6-month internship in Peru with Otra Cosa Network. I work in the office along with our operations manager, assistant manager and a few other volunteers and interns. My work mostly consist of online marketing, trying to recruit more volunteers in order to make it possible for Otra Cosa to keep supporting their current projects and expand their projects to support a larger part of the local community. I also introduce newly arrived volunteers to the work of Otra Cosa and life in Huanchaco, Peru. Otra Cosa is a small NGO which means that everyone in the office is involved in a lot of different tasks on a day-to-day basis and we are mostly working on our own initiative as a lot of faith is put in our abilities and passion to help Otra Cosa Network have more of an impact on the local community and help the people here who need it.

When I decided to go volunteering abroad, I didn't have a country in mind; I just wanted to participate in a project related to the environment. That's how I started to browse the internet, looking for NGOs that I could join, and I stumbled on a website listing South American organizations. As soon as I read about Otra Cosa, I knew I wanted to go there, and my email exchanges with the staff confirmed it - it's a very well organized NGO, with some very interesting projects and the staff and volunteers make a great team to work and live with.