What is required to volunteer with Ayni?

We don't look at experience, level of Spanish or education as much as we do on personality, interest and intensions. Age and education have nothing to do with your ability to make an effort and contribution to Ayni. It is, however, very important that volunteers are stable enough themselves to be able to give and generate energy to the projects and the people around them, rather than absorbing it themselves. The environment that we work in is not the place for volunteers to deal with their own traumatic experiences: we have to put all our energy into the projects and maintain a positive spirit within the team. Having said that, of course we care about the well being of our volunteers: if it weren't for them the projects couldn't keep running, and we help each other out within the team.

So, it's more about who you are and what you want to achieve than what experience you have. If you feel passionate about what we do and you are flexible and happy both to teach and help out wherever needed in the community; think you can adapt without greater difficulty to a diverse culture such as Peru's; if you have an open mind and see a possibility rather than a problem; and if you are happy to work in a team as well as independent enough to take your own initiatives: then you are what we are looking for.

This man, who is crippled with arthritis, bought pigs with the loan he received from Ayni - pictured here with volunteers Chris and Chad.