Eco-Friendly Volunteering Organizations in Peru
Shaping Cultural Experiences
Travel has been an integral part of my life since I was a young child. I grew up in a multicultural, bilingual home in the Netherlands with a Polish mother and a Dutch father. My
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From Nigeria to Boston
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9VNkCazT_T4&feature=youtu.be
When you first meet Oluwagbeminiyi Osidipe, you encounter a very vibrant, friendly, and unique personality. Oluwagbeminiyi or Niyi – as she shortened her name for simplicity – was named by her mother, who had a “very personal experience” when she had her, Niyi explained. Niyi is a Yoruba Nigerian transplant who arrived in the U.S. in 2006. As one of the most densely populated (West) African countries, Nigeria derives its name from the river that spans its land. To the South, it borders the Gulf of Guinea to the Atlantic Ocean. Originally colonized by the British, Nigeria gained independence in 1960. Its main ethnic groups are the Hausa, Igbo and Yoruba, who speak English and their own respective languages, while major religions include Islam, Christianity and indigenous beliefs. Niyi shares her story, her views on politics, cultural differences she’s embraced with humor, and what we can learn from each other by expressing curiosity. Her message is simple: travel enriches us through its exposure to new cultures, and enables us to grow.
Mark Twain on Travel
“Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one’s lifetime.” (American author Mark Twain, Innocents Abroad).
Have you had the opportunity to travel (extensively, within your country, or even once abroad)? Can you relate to Twain’s sentiments? How does travel enrich us?
Pleasing The Taste Palate
Food has the wonderful quality of uniting us no matter where we are. There is nothing partisan or narrow-minded about food. It simply invites us to indulge, create recipes, and share with others. Two of my favorite Polish dishes (included in collage) are pierogies and barszcz czerwony – a beetroot soup – served on Christmas Eve in Poland. How does food bring us together? What are some of your favorite dishes and why? Can food trigger memories?
Stereotypes: Truth or Fiction?
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Coffee's Uniting Power
A cup of coffee can bridge cultural gaps. At least, that’s what Gizem Salgicil White, founder of Turkayfe.org, believes. Her organization aims to create awareness of Turkish culture, particularly within America. Gizem is a Turkish native,
Today’s post is by Aviv of GivingWay
Peru is a mysterious, beautiful, diverse, and exciting country. All these aspects are incredibly appealing for travelers seeking truly adventurous experiences when traveling abroad.
For travelers who can truly appreciate Peru’s beautiful landscapes, can’t get enough of the lush green rainforests and breathtaking backdrops, and want to be completely enveloped by the outdoors – there is another exciting adventure to add to the travel list: eco-volunteering.
Outdoor travel enthusiasts who want to make sure Peru continues to stay green, and that their travels won’t do more harm than good, can consider volunteering with an eco-friendly sustainable nonprofit.
The following eco-friendly volunteer organizations are not only green — they’re also wonderful initiatives that support sustainable volunteering in the local communities.
While volunteering in Peru can entail many preparations and details to take into consideration, there are specific aspects true to volunteering with an eco-nonprofit.
Environmental Volunteer Work in Peru: 5 Organizations Doing It Right
Each of these organizations works with local Peruvian communities to build initiatives that can be maintained well into the future. These are environmental volunteer programs that help groups of people as well as the places they live.
1. Wiracocha Foundation
The Wiracocha Foundation(WIRA) preserves indigenous agricultural knowledge in many forms. This encompasses folklore, traditions, and the ancient wisdom of various cultures in Peru. They hope to use this knowledge to preserve and protect Peru’s unique biodiversity. This includes preserving the ancestral food that ancient peoples like the Incas cultivated.
WIRA also supports food security for the “vulnerable populations” of Peru. They do this with sustainable production of food that one can find only in this unique part of the globe.
The maca plant is a great example. This rare root is found in the high altitudes of the Andes. It has been treasured for centuries for its nutritional benefits.
The foundation protects and promotes the use of this plant through sustainable initiatives. They even sell products made from this plant through their company, ThaniFoods.
Volunteers who work for WIRA will help with expanding their reach. This may include conservation efforts, fundraising, and gaining support for the foundation. Networking or selling products from ThaniFoods are good examples.
2. Asociación Civil PUCACURO
Environmental volunteer opportunities abroad include the Asociación Civil Pucacuro. Based in Inquitos, Peru, the organization is dedicated to environmental research, education, conservation, and awareness.
In particular, this nonprofit promotes the economic and socio-cultural development of the Amazonian people. Their main goal is to do this in a way that’s sustainable and works in unison with the unique environment.
The Association has previously worked to build community awareness of environmental concerns. For instance, they recently held the first-annual Monkeys of the Peruvian Amazon Festival (“Festival De los Monos de la Amazonia Peruana”). This event raised awareness for the plight of local primate species, which are in danger from poachers and loss of habitat.
3. CONAPAC
CONAPAC is a unique non-profit that partners with rural Amazonian communities in Peru.
In exchange for a pledge to conserve the rainforests, the communities receive aid in the form of school supplies, education improvements, access to clean water, use of a lending library, leadership workshops, and more.
Volunteering for CONAPAC might involve delivering school supplies or helping with building projects (school kitchens, for instance). These service projects occur annually in March and April.
CONAPAC also is looking for online home volunteers. In particular, they are looking for website developers and social media experts to help expand their online reach and presence.
4. Alliance for a Sustainable Amazon
The Alliance for a Sustainable Amazon works in two ways. They engage in biological research with the aim to improve management and conservation of the rainforest, and they promote sustainable agriculture with a focus on conserving the Amazon’s biodiversity.
These goals help residents of the Amazon in the long run and help grow sustainable sources of income.
For volunteers, biological research might involve monitoring various species of primates, taking biological inventories, or monitoring the fruiting and flowering of specific plants. The latter activity helps researchers understand how climate change is affecting the area.
For sustainable agriculture, volunteers might help with organic farming and gardening. Other activities include trail maintenance, managing tree nurseries, or helping develop green infrastructure.
Volunteers who join this project must pay a fee, but it includes accommodation, all meals, transportation, and training.
5. Andean Alliance for Sustainable Development
The Andean Alliance for Sustainable Development helps remote communities in the Peruvian highlands. These poor, rural villages are given tools for growth and development that is maintainable for the long-term.
In this way, the communities can pull themselves out of poverty and address the problem of malnutrition in the high-altitude Andes, where foods with adequate vitamins and minerals are scarce.
How is this done?
The Alliance helps the communities start up family and school gardens. This involves building greenhouses and teaching agriculture. The greenhouses provide much-needed veggies for the rural diet and agricultural education that spans generations. The gardens become classrooms for school children of all ages, and the people learn to grow their own produce.
The Alliance mainly looks for students to volunteer their time and contribute to an in-depth learning experience. Students research how to implement the program in diverse climates. They also observe how resource development can happen by working with local governments. In general, volunteers get a first-hand look at sustainable community development.
Eco-Friendly Volunteering Organizations Provide Ample Ways to Give Back – Sustainably
All of these environmental volunteer opportunities are perfect for the eco-conscious, socially-minded traveler who wants to do good while traveling to Peru.
This means supporting organizations working with local communities, protecting their rainforest environment, and teaching principles of sustainable agriculture.
Green volunteer opportunities are available all over the wonderful country of Peru. To find more sustainable initiatives and worthwhile organizations to join, check out GivingWay and discover environmental volunteer work with passion and purpose. Follow GivingWay on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
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