The project site is located in a district an hour and a half to two hours journey from Cusco (traffic dependent), the ancient Inca capital. You will be working in a small rural community, so you can expect to encounter a simple and basic lifestyle surrounded by the beautiful snowy peaks of the Andes and ancient Incan ruins. However, as idyllic as this sounds, you must remember that as this region is so rural, life can be very tough for its inhabitants. Most live in basic mud houses with no plumbing, intermittent electricity, and a lack of safe drinking water. Poverty levels are high here because almost everyone relies upon agriculture to support themselves, but as the community is situated at such a high altitude and the weather can be so changeable, they often receive fairly small crop yields, meaning that the cycle of poverty continues.

You must pay for the hour and a half to two hour trip there and back from your accommodation to the project site. You can either take a bus (about €2 each way) or maybe share the costs of petrol with medical staff if one of them happens to go the same way (€1.50 each way).

The standard accommodation is a basic hostel in Cusco, with an hour and a half to two hour commute to the project by bus or car sharing. This accommodation includes breakfast. However, you can choose to stay in a different type of accommodation at the time of registration. Your full accommodation options are: family homestay, hostels and hotels of different categories, and the NGO Taxi HQ. Prices vary for each and depend on the level of comfort and meals per day you want to enjoy during your program period. At the HQ, you will receive food (full board) and can socialize more with your fellow volunteers. When working on the project site, you can either take a packed lunch or buy your lunch from the local market.

Professional requirements:
You do not need a medical background, the clinic just requires volunteers who are sincerely interested in medicine or nursing and are keen to give a helping hand. Therefore this opportunity is open to all types of volunteers; however, those with a medical background will be prioritised. This project is a fantastic opportunity for those who are considering a career in medicine to come and discover what working in a clinic really involves. As this project involves children and adults in vulnerable situations, you will need to provide a current and certified complete criminal history record as well as a health certificate before placement can be pursued.

This project supports and encourages teamwork along with a great deal of flexibility, autonomy and initiative. If you are open and ready for it, you’ll learn how to deal with aspects of daily life and be able to adapt to different situations. It is important that you are able to handle upsetting situations as you are likely to encounter poverty, malnutrition, and difficult domestic circumstances on a regular basis.

Generally, you should be ready to respond to changes and be able to deal with the unexpected for any work in South America.

Language Requirements:
You must be able to speak enough Spanish to be able to communicate with the staff and patients (ideally at an intermediate level). The project already includes a 20-hour intensive language course, which is designed to prepare you for your tasks at the clinic. If you have basic, little or no Spanish knowledge, you can take additional Spanish lessons prior to the project in one of our affiliated schools (individual or group lessons). Or you can complete your language course on-line via videos, Skype or in a virtual classroom (please specify in your application form).

Minimum age:
18 years

Start dates:
1st or 3rd Sunday each month. 
(Individual arrival dates possible, surplus applies). 

Length of stay:
A minimum stay of 4 weeks is required, but we advise at least 2 or 3 months in order to get the most out of this opportunity and to give the most back.

Immunizations:
It is essential to be up-to-date with immunizations before you arrive at your project. This includes, among others: yellow fever (certified), tetanus, typhoid, diphtheria, hepatitis A and B, and rabies. You’ll receive exact information pertaining to immunizations needed in Peru, as well as your personal preliminary documentation, following your successful application with us.

You can inquire in advance concerning immunization requirements by consulting medical authorities in your country of origin, e.g. in the US check with the Centers for Disease Control and Protection http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/destinations/traveler/none/peru.

Please make sure that you have up-to-date vaccinations for all of these diseases. NGO Taxi cannot be held responsible for the provision of vaccinations for their volunteers. It is the responsibility of the volunteer to ensure that they have followed up-to-date medical advice.

Special conditions:
Please note that owing to the nature of the work, piercings are not permitted. You must keep your clothes clean and presentable, and if you have a medical uniform, please bring it! The project site can accommodate up to 3 volunteers. Come and volunteer with some friends of yours! 

Sometimes you will find that you work with clinic staff only. At other times however, there might be more volunteers, so be prepared for the variety in the people you will meet and work with.

But why not volunteer with your best friend?!

Tell us with whom you want to volunteer and we will arrange your fellow volunteer experience for you.

• Mountain biking.
• Rafting.
• Hiking.
• Paragliding.
• Visit to Machu Picchu.
• Dance classes. 
• Cooking classes. 
• City tours. 
• Ziplining.