In the winter of 2007, I spent 3 weeks in Peru visiting some of the volunteer programs managed by Cross Cultural Solutions as part of an ongoing project on Volunteer Tourism.

CCS' programs are centered mainly in the Villa El Salvador neighborhood of Lima. Below are some slideshows and explanations on the projects I documented.

Please click the name of the project to go to the slideshow.

Villa El Salvador

The Lima suburb of Villa El Salvador was created in 1971 when some 200 impoverished families "invaded" a tract of land on the edge of the city. Within two days, 9000 more families joined the original settlers and the government of General Juan Valesco undertook to violently evict them.  Eventually bowing to international pressure and the overwhelming number of people settling in the area, Valesco's government agreed to grant land in Tablada de Lurin to the settlers for development in May of 1971.

Since inception, Villa El Salvador has been a self managed community, carefully planning growth while pressuring the government for services such as water, sewage and roads. The original founders planned expansion of the community in sectors, setting aside land for agriculture, schools and industry. Each sector is comprised of 480 blocks which each house 24 homes. Residents are granted land on a block and build a home for themselves according to their means.

Today, Villa has almost 400,000 residents and is a vibrant, active community offering Peruvians an opportunity to build a life around family and community.

Los Martincitos

This is a community facility in Villa run by the Catholic Church. About 150 local senior citizens meet here three days a week to receive hot meals, participate in recreational activities, do arts and crafts and receive basic health care and counseling.

This is an especially important program because many seniors in Villa face many challenges including poor health and nutrition, neglect and physical abuse by their families, loneliness and age discrimination. Poverty in Villa makes life very difficult for seniors who are no longer able to provide for themselves. Los Martincitos offers a chance to interact with others in a positive and fulfilling way a few times a week.

INABIF

The National Institute for the Welfare of Infants and the Family (INABIF) is a government program aiding poor and disadvantaged people in Peru. Their project in Villa El Salvador provides educational and recreational services for kids aged 1 to 16. Working parents and single mothers can send their children here for daycare services, entertainment, recreation, meals and a chance to interact with others and make friends.

While in Peru, I spent some time teaching photography fundamentals to some students and sent them off each day with disposable cameras and some assignments. Check back soon for a separate page dedicated to the pictures the kids took during this project.

Casa De Panchita

This is a resource facility for women working as domestic help in Lima. Many of these women came from the highlands or were "given away" by their families to work in Lima in the hopes of getting an education or finding well paid work. Unfortunately, many become victims of physical, economic and sexual abuse and work long hours six days a week.

Casa De Panchita offers these women classes in English and business, legal and other counseling and a chance to network with other women in an effort to improve their lives.