Volunteer at La Casa de Mayten, Chincha, Peru

	La Casa De Mayten, Chincha, Peru. www.maytenandtheimpossibleproject.blogspot.com
NOTE: (11-May-2010) We are not accepting volunteers at present ... Please check back in August 2010 for an update La Casa De Mayten: The independent social project La Casa De Mayten was born in Chincha, Peru, in August 2007, after a devastating earthquake hit this area, laying bare the levels of abandonment and neglect that disadvantaged communities have suffered for generations. This project originated as a very personal reaction to the immediate needs left behind by the earthquake, as well as direct response to the degrees of poverty, violence, neglect, ignorance, and indifference seriously affecting people in Chincha. Given the overwhelming needs I found among people who lost everything in the earthquake, and understanding their economically precarious history prior to the earthquake, I asked my family’s permission to turn my childhood home overnight into a communal and educational multi-purpose resource center for thousands of economically disadvantaged people from different neighborhoods who found little or no support from local authorities. Today, I am proud to say that La Casa De Mayten will soon turn 2 years old, serving as clinic, school, cultural center, training site, shelter, organization hub, volunteer headquarters, and overall safe house for people, particularly children of different neighborhoods in Chincha. La Casa De Mayten, as a small, independent, self-initiated, self-financed, ethically committed project aims to provide opportunities and alternatives in a dignified, respectful, creative and sustainable manner for children, youngsters, and adults living in neglected communities in Chincha. Volunteer: People wanting to volunteer at La Casa De Mayten will be able to choose from any of the following responsibilities: teach workshops to kids, teenagers or adults, organize fund raising activities, participate in exchange programs as mentors/chaperones, work with local entities to organize educational and health campaigns, organize cultural/recreational activities/events, maintain and update our blog and website, promote our project and recruit volunteers, help attract potential financial supporters, help build homes, and share all house-keeping responsibilities. Anyone wishing to volunteer will need to be ready and willing to do physically demanding work, endure long working days with kids, and live in basic conditions (sometimes no water days, temporary electric black outs, no air conditioning). La Casa de Mayten offers FREE ROOM & BOARD and INTERNET SERVICE. HOT showers. My house is modest which means no coffee maker, no blenders, no sofas, no tv, no sheets, no dish washer, no washer or dryer, no oven, basic kitchen. At my house, I work to personally rescue and encourage a culture of exchange; volunteers are offered room and board, food and internet access in exchange for committed work. Donate: While La Casa De Mayten does not charge volunteers I do ask that you consider making a donation to the project in the form of money, needed equipment, medicines, personal hygiene items, or much needed supplies for workshops. Can you donate/bring any of the needed items listed below? Workshop Materials: pencils, crayons, notebooks, colored pencils, water colors, body paint, tons of glue, scissors, macramé, recreational games, glitter, carpentry-related tools, lots of markers, highlighters, soccer/volley/foot balls, blank paper, construction paper, bookbags for kids, age-appropriate music CDs, books in Spanish or bilingual dictionaries (your native language and Spanish) Equipment: laptop, voltage converter, microphones (5), memory cards, external hard drive, head-phones with microphones, DVD player, monitor to play movies and documentaries, battery charger, flash lights, construction gloves, dust masks. Personal Hygiene Items: individual shampoo and conditioner, soaps, tooth brushes, toothpaste, combs, individual towels, anti-bacterial sheets, sun block 45+spf, insect repellent Medicines: all first aid items, cough medicine, pain and fever-reducing medicine, minor stomach conditions medicine Appliances to help make volunteer life more comfortable at La Casa De M: Coffee maker, juice maker, baking items, blender, bed sheets, electric fans. All services, materials, advice, medical/dental/psychological attention, trips for kids, etc have always been, are, and will continue to be made available to the people of Chincha FREE OF CHARGE. Volunteer Requirements: NOTE: (11-May-2010) We are not accepting volunteers at present ... Please check back in August 2010 for an update We need creative and socially committed people who are physically, mentally and emotionally able and prepared to work hard and handle the many challenges, unexpected situations, and difficulties one does face when working in neglected, historically poor and violent communities still recovering from a natural disaster. Having basic knowledge of the Spanish language is VITAL. 5 days would be the minimum commitment we would ask of you. Presently, our work schedule is as follows: Monday- Friday 8am – 5pm; Saturday & Sunday 10am – 6pm. Hours vary when we have special trips or events outside of our home base. We look for volunteers who embrace diversity, have a global perspective, feel responsible for the well being of others, and genuinely commit their academic training, professional and life experience, energy, talents and resources to the service of others. Ideally and given the many demands of working in a devastated area, our volunteers would be between the ages of 21 and 65. While everyone is encouraged to volunteer, individuals with prior volunteering experience have proven invaluable to La Casa De Mayten. Transportation fees from Lima to Chincha, or from any other departing destination to Chincha are NOT covered. La Casa De Mayten will not and cannot pay airfare or transportation fees for any volunteer coming from any point in Peru or the world. About Chincha: Chincha (aka Chincha Alta) is located 3 hours south of Lima on the Panamerican Highway, near MIND BLOWING Nazca Lines, Huacachina Oasis, Paracas National Reserve, and Lunahuana. Beach weather most of the year, cool (not cold) during winter months. Buses leave from Lima to Chincha every 20 minutes. Chincha is 25 minutes from quiet shores, especially in off season, surrounded by vineyards. Chincha has a great market with fresh produces. Friendly people! Extraordinary opportunity to make a difference in people’s lives, and developing a world-wide network of socially committed friends. Chincha offers all essential services: internet, laundry, hospitals, transportation anywhere for very little money. Chincha is new to tourism, so while you can find some attractions, in comparison to other tourists spots, Chincha may appear dull. Dusty. How to Apply/Contact Details: I need at least 3 weeks notice. Potential volunteers simply need to initially contact me via email from wherever they are expressing their interest in volunteering and providing basic information about themselves. I will then email them a simple questionnaire to complete and email back. Upon receipt of the completed questionnaire, they will get a response within 3 days with more details. I prefer that emails be written in English or Spanish, but emails can also be written in Portuguese or French. Mayten Sanchez Ruiz Project Director maymar22@gmail.com www.maytenandtheimpossibleproject.blogspot.com Thank You for your interest in our project. Mayten (far right) and Volunteers:		(24-Aug-2009)