villa maria, peru - gap year

construct

A new house in just 1 week for just £500, can it be possible?

Villa Maria is home to around 700,000 people living below the poverty line, scraping a living by any means possible. The lack of facilities is evident - many houses are without electricity and sanitation. These oppresive conditions often lead to the break up of families, leaving single parents to stuggle to work and care for their children. Volunteering your time and money will help to improve their situation, giving them a home with at the very least, the basic warmth, sanitation and conditions to lead a healthy life. Never hit a nail before in your life? You'll be an expert by the end of this project!

where: Villa Maria, Lima, Peru

what: building homes for the families on the shantytown hillsides

how long: 4 week project

villa maria, peru - gap year

entertain

Ever wanted to dress up as a clown?

Long working hours for parents often lead to children being left alone, forced to wander the streets, often ending up in trouble with the law. Despite these setbacks, the children of Villa Maria and Lima are enthusiastic and truly inspiring to spend time with. Putting on fun fairs, dance shows, sports events or any other crazy idea you may have brings out the best in these children and helps to show both you and them how a little effort can really go a long way.

where: Villa Maria, Lima, Peru

what: entertaining thousands of kids

when: weekends

villa maria, peru - gap year

in a nutshell

trip summary

Live and work in the middle of the Villa Maria shantytown. Help to build basic homes for some of the more needy families in the area. At the same time, put together a recreation programme for the thousands of kids living in the hillsides.