Description and Impact

Meet local health care professionals.  Learn basic Spanish medical terminology.  See how a holistic healthcare system works in the rural areas of a developing country.  ProWorld’s Hands-on Healthcare assigns you to community-guided health care projects and gives you an overview of the integrated projects in Peru, with emphasis on working in clinics, providing public health education in schools and communities, while building cleaner burning stoves and distributing water filters in nearby communities. 

You’ll see how simple solutions like cleaner-burning stoves and water filters significantly improve the lives of the people who need them.  You'll work in clinics alongside doctors and nurses and bring public health education to schools and villages through community outreach and education.  You will work with others in your group to integrate into the Peruvian culture and get some real hands-on health exposure and work.  Your project placements are based on the site director's assessment and community need.

FURTHER INFORMATION:

Clinics:

Volunteers will have a brief introduction to the Peruvian health care system by shadowing doctors and nurses in a public health center.  Volunteers will:

• Directly observe and support local health professionals
• Interact with patients
• Be exposed to health issues common in the Sacred Valley
• Have a basic understanding of services provided in multiple departments of the health center such as general medicine, obstetrics, and the laboratory
• Work in local health clinics in and outside of Urubamba to get a better idea of how the health system works

Health education in schools in Urubamba:

Hands-on-Healthcare volunteers may have the chance to teach children about personal hygiene and basic health practices in local schools around Urubamba.  In past years, volunteers have been responsible for:

• Creating a socio-drama focusing on hand washing and its importance to avoid obtaining parasites and bacteria
• Creating posters or other visual aids including didactic games in their lessons to promote student involvemnent 
• Painting murals at local schools or children's centers that advocates healthy living.  

Water Filters Project:

Every year, diarrhea diseases caused by unsafe water are responsible for roughly 1.9 million deaths around the world.  Most of these are young children under the age of five.  The central goal of ProWorld's Kantu Ceramic Water Filter Project is to eliminate bacteria and parasites from contiaminated water, and make it safe for human consumption.  Volunteers will:

• Receive a tour of the Urubamba water reservoir in order to have a basic understanding of the water system in the Sacred Valley
• Work in the Filters Workshop and assist in the preparations and consturction of the filters
• Possibly distribute filters and give a workshop on their importance and use in a local school

Cleaner Burning Stoves / Cocinas Mejoradas:

In 2003, ProWorld Peru initiated the cleaner burning stoves project in order to combat the issue of smoke inhalation in rural homes.  Less smoke in the house reduces pulmonary exposeure and decreases the risk of asthma, chronic bronchitis and other COPD's.  Eye irritation due to smoke is also easily alleviated as a result of a smoke-free cooking area.  Volunteers will:

• Build stoves made from local ceramic and cement pieces in a family's home
• Conduct short health surveys with receipients to evaluate ongoing health problems as a result of current cooking practices and measure lung capacity
• Perform follow-up visits to ensure understanding and proper function of the stoves installed

Skills and Qualifications recommended for success:

• Experience of education in a health related field
• An openess to learn about different health practices in a new culture
• A willingness to get dirty, work hard and have a positive attitude
• Ability to build rapport with medical and clinical staff
• Basic to intermediate Spanish is helpful, but not required