Public Health

Volunteers in the Public Health program will work together with our staff on public health initiatives led by Vive Peru staff.  Work will focus on our Parasite Prevention Program and our Health Education & Training Program, which you can read more about in the Community Outreach Programs section of our website by clicking on the links above.

Volunteer activities will include community visits to collect laboratory samples, home visits to collect data and provide counseling to families, preparing and presenting talks on disease prevention for community members as well as participation in community medical campaigns.

The following is a sample weekly itinerary for Public Health Volunteers. Individual volunteer experiences will differ depending on the priorities of the public health program and communities throughout the year.

All of our volunteers participate in an orientation upon arrival to Peru.  For our summer program, the orientation lasts about 5 days and for our other programs, the orientation lasts 2-3 days.  This orientation is important as it gives volunteers a sense of where they are and what is important to the Peruvian people they will be working with for the next month.  And as our past volunteers will tell you, it’s lots of fun!

Our orientation includes activities such as:

  • Peruvian Cooking Class
  • Latin Dance Lesson
  • Archaeological Site Visits (Chan Chan or Huaca de la Luna)
  • Sandboarding or Surfing
  • Survival Spanish Lesson
  • Work Site Visits and Introductions
  • Presentation of Traditional Peruvian Dances
We also go over important information for your stay in Peru such as:
  • Staying Safe in Peru: Thinking Like a Peruvian
  • Introduction to Work Sites & Health and Education Systems in Peru
  • Recommendations for Americans volunteering in Peru
  • Cultural Differences applicable to your stay in Peru
  • Weekend Travel Information
Our staff also provides continuous support throughout the course of the volunteer program.  We have coordinators present in all project locations who check in with volunteers several times a week.  Our staff visits host family locations and partner worksites on a weekly basis and is available to volunteers at all times during the course of the volunteer program.

The following is a sample weekly itinerary for Public Health Volunteers.

Trujillo

Trujillo, home to more than 800,000 people, is the capital of the northern Peruvian coast and is known locally as the capital of eternal spring.  Culture and tradition run through the city’s veins, extending from the region’s rich archaeological history to its well-preserved culinary and cultural traditions.  Trujillanos are proud of their colonial history, which is alive in the Spanish colonial mansions that are still standing in the city’s downtown area.  To this day, locals gather in these luxurious casonas to enjoy their rich cuisine and enjoy their region’s typical dance, the marinera.  Volunteers staying in Trujillo are only a 15-minute bus ride away from some of Peru’s most important historical sites, including the ancient Moche and Chimú administrative and religious centers that predate the Incas by 1500 years.

Although Trujillo receives thousands of tourists a year, the living conditions in the outlying communities of the city are often extremely impoverished and underdeveloped.  Substandard living conditions contribute to the most common health problems seen in local medical facilities, and many medical institutions struggle to provide the communities they serve with basic care.  Clinics are understaffed and underfunded, and as a result, doctors struggle to give patients the comprehensive care and health education they need. Just as the living conditions range from extremely impoverished to luxurious, so does the quality of education.  Children from poorer areas of Trujillo are unable to attend better-funded and higher quality private schools, and the quality of education at public schools is often sub-par, due to large class sizes and a lack of ability to attract talented teachers.  In addition, public schools are largely underfunded, leaving them with the inability to develop quality extracurricular programs, which are powerful resources in helping keep lower-income children off the street and in school.

Our most popular programs run during summer and winter vacations, but we accept volunteers all year round!  Look below for the dates of our upcoming programs and application deadlines or email us to design a customized experience.  Dates can be combined to participate in a longer volunteer program.

Summer 2018 Programs **These dates are referential and may be adjusted slightly as the program dates approach.  Please contact us with any questions.

Length Dates  Cost Deadline
1 month May 22- June 25  $1800 Rolling*
1 month June 26- July 30  $1800 Rolling*
1 month August 1 – August 31  $1800  May 1
2 months May 22 – July 30  $2300 Rolling*
2 months June 26 – August 31  $2300 Rolling*
3 months  May 22- August 31  $2800  Rolling*

Regular Application Deadline: Varies by session, see dates above.  
*Note:  We are still receiving applications on a rolling basis for limited spots in our Summer Session 1&2 Programs.

Winter 2018-2019 Programs  **These dates are referential and may be adjusted slightly as the program dates approach.  Please contact us with any questions.

Length Dates   Cost
3 Weeks December 17 – January 7  $1800
 1 Week*  December 15-22  $950
 1 Week*  December 28 – January 7  $950

Application Deadline: Rolling admission

Spring Break 2019 Programs

Length Dates   Cost
1 Week   March 6-12   $950
1 Week   March 13-19   $950

Applications will be evaluated and spots will be filled on a rolling basis.

Spring 2019 Programs **These dates are referential and may be adjusted slightly as the program dates approach.  Please contact us with any questions.

Length Dates  Cost
1 month January 18 – February 15  $1800
1 month February 15 – March 14  $1800
1 month March 14 – April 11  $1800
2 months January 18 – March 14  $2300
2 months February 15 – April 11  $2300
3 months January 18 – April 11  $2800

Applications are accepted on a rolling basis for our Spring 2019 programs. We encourage applicants to apply at least 2 months before their program begins.  

Vive Peru works hard to make the prices of its volunteer programs as reasonable as possible while maintaining a highly qualified staff and high-quality volunteer opportunities. Volunteer program donations support our staff in Peru and make long-term sustainable projects in the community possible. A portion of volunteer program donations goes directly to support the communities and institutions we work with in Peru.

Winter 2017 Programs

  • 3 week program: $1800
  • 1 week program: $950
Spring & Summer 2018 Programs
  • 1 month program: $1800
  • 2 month program: $2300
  • 3 month program: $2800

Spring Break 2018

  • 1 week program: $950

Volunteer Program Fee Includes:

  • Preparation and Training before departure
  • Orientation Activities
  • Airport pickup and transfer to hostel
  • Transportation from Lima to volunteer site
  • Transportation to and from volunteer activities
  • Food and housing for the duration of the program
  • On-going staff support and supervision

Volunteer Program Fee Does Not Include:

  • Round-trip flight to Lima
  • Traveler’s insurance
  • Vaccinations recommended by CDC
  • Passport costs and visa fees (if necessary)
  • Personal weekend trips
  • Personal expenses (cell phones, souvenirs, Internet cafes, etc.)