ASPED Perú

Lima is a city that has grown very quickly, from just two million inhabitants in 1960 to over 10 million today. The infrastructure of the city has not been able to keep up with the population explosion, and as a result, a large portion of the people of Lima live in pueblos jóvenes, the Peruvian term for shantytowns.

ASPED Perú, the Peruvian Civil Association for Personal, Family, and Community Development of Peru, works with children living in extreme poverty to help them acquire the skills they need to break the cycle of poverty. They accomplish this goal by putting on workshops

The pueblo joven called Jose Olaya has a population of about 6000 people, of which 57% are children and youth. 65% of the population is living on less than $5 per day, and the majority of the homes are built out of makeshift materials like plastic, tin, or cardboard, often built into the side of a hill on unstable ground.

ASPED Perú works with people who are growing up in this environment. They reach out to underprivileged children and orphans to keep them off the street; to single mothers and pregnant women to help them with their young ones; and to youth to teach them practical skills that can get them a better job.

None.

2009

Through private donations: from friends of the organization and small fees from attending workshops.

How many people at the organization speak English?

None.

School supplies, basic English books (i.e. for children), treats for children like toys and candy, medical supplies like first aid kits, gloves, and masks.

This dedicated NGO puts a lot of effort into bettering the lives of the members of the community, but often volunteers have specific skills that can be very useful if taught to the community. Things like learning English and how to use a computer can make a huge difference in the quality of jobs available to members of Jose Olaya. Any skill a volunteer may have, from painting to sewing to accounting, could be useful to the neighbourhood.

What tasks will you be required to fulfil?

Teaching English, giving lessons on how to use a computer, given at the community center outside of school hours. It is possible as well to visit schools to give similar presentations.

Devise presentations or workshops on topics such as hygiene, sewing, HIV, parenthood, nutrition, etc. Other projects that volunteers may come up with include grant proposal writing, microbusiness development, etc.

Monday - Friday

How many hours per day?

10am - 4pm

The director of ASPED Perú, Jaime Vargas, will be your supervisor. You will be helping teach English and computers mostly to youth aged 7-13, although you may be asked to assist with workshops for single mothers or older youth.

No background necessary. Experience teaching English would be an asset, as well as being an instructor of any kind, or having a skill set that you are willing to teach.

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It is very important to be creative and be able to come up with project ideas.

People who have difficulty seeing extreme poverty, people who get frustrated easily.

Lima is a city of 10 million (though some estimates put the population as high as 15) divided into 50 districts, steeped in culture and rife with history. Founded on the original site of Spanish conquistador Francisco Pizzaro's landing, Lima sits directly on the Pacific coast, stretches inland to the foothills of the Andes in the east, and edges the deserts to the south.

The geographic and historical disparity that surrounds this largest city in Peru is mirrored in the people, culture, and nature of Lima. It's not uncommon to see Franciscan priests walking the ocean view promenades, while bankers and businessmen hustle past emailing on their cell phones, as a polio crippled child sits begging for money. Polluted and poverty-laden in parts, lavish and excessive in others, you can see on a daily basis the well entrenched class system that rewards few and handicaps many.

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This placement is in the District of Independence, in the North-Eastern part of Lima. Independencia, as the region is called, is home to many shantytowns, called Pueblos Jovenes, or Asentimientos Humanos, which are often built up into the foothills on increasingly unstable ground. Extreme poverty is rampant in these neighbourhoods, including the Pueblo Joven Jose Olaya, where this placement is. Most of the inhabitants lack the basic necessities of life, including clean drinking water, accessible healthcare and medicine. The majority of the residents of this Pueblo Joven are children who in many cases have never been to see a doctor and do not have access to a good quality of education.

Lima was the original landing site of Fransisco Pizarro, the Spanish conquistador who would later effectively end the rule of the Incas and their last king Tupac Amaru. While Pizarro's deeds here in Peru read like a demon's resume, the inherent scope and bravado of his endeavor makes his story fit for the silver screen. An important port since its inception, Lima has the Spanish footprint firmly imbedded on its architecture and culture.

20 C - 30 C and sunny during summer months (Dec, Jan, Feb, Mar) 10 - 20 C and cloudy during winter months (Apr - Nov)

Where to begin. Lima holds pretty much every distraction that any traveler could wish for. Surfing in the Pacific, museums and cathedrals (with CATACOMBS!), paragliding, fine restaurants (unreal sushi!), and a great night life are all easily accessible.

Lima is a large South American city and contains all the annoyances and conveniences that come such a status. Upscale shopping centers, gorgeous cathedrals, hopping discotheques, first-rate movie theatres, and even a bowling alley are all within blocks of our office. Though the district where our BaseCamp Center is located, Miraflores, remains largely safe and can be walked comfortably at most hours, crime remains a problem in most of Lima and every traveler should be wary. Security guards and police officers are a common sight and most take special care to make sure tourists go unmolested.

As the entry point for most foreign travelers, every point of interest in Peru is easily accessed via Lima by bus or plane. The beaches of Mancorra and the funky town of Trujillo to the North are a $30 bus ride away. The Nazca Lines and Baellstas Islands are only hours south. Mountain biking in Arequipa and the home of the famous pisco sour is near by. And of course the town of Cusco, set amid the Andes, holds the door to Macchu Picchu, Chococurrou, and many of the rich trekking opportunities that Peru holds. Also Puno and Lake Titicaca (the Islands of the Sun are gorgeous) are a flight away. All of these trips can be done in a weekend, though we recommend taking your time.

You will be taking a combi (bus) which is the most common way of getting around in Lima. Combis vary widely in terms of size and condition, and can fit anywhere between 10 and 40 people (but during rush hour people are squeezed in). Each combi costs between 1-2 soles (30-80 cents) depending on the distance you are travelling. For some placements you will have to switch buses one or more times.

To get to ASPED Peru you will be taking two combis. One from the BaseCamp which should take about 1 hour and cost 2 soles each way, and the second which will take about 10 minutes and cost 1 sol.