Building eco-stoves in Peru
Help families be healthier and safer by installing eco-friendly stoves and bathrooms in a Peruvian village in the Sacred Valley.
About this project
The traditional way of cooking in Peruvian homes is over an open fire, which has three major problems:
- The fires are unsafe and result in many burns, especially with young children running around;
- The fires cause respiratory problems because there is no outlet for the smoke; and
- They are hugely inefficient and consume a lot of wood, resulting in deforestation.
With your help and funding, you get to help overcome these problems by installing an ecologically efficient stove, which is fully enclosed, so burns are eliminated, and with a chimney to remove the respiratory problems.
An alternative or additional project is to help improve sanitation and health outcomes by building a bathroom for a family.
You get to interact meaningfully with a Peruvian family, gain insights into their lives, share stories, and besides, it is great fun getting your hands covered in clay – all your family will love it!
Main volunteering activities:
- Creating adobe bricks from mud and straw
- Layering the walls of the stove
- Mixing cement
- Installing the chimney
Key information:
- Volunteering work typically lasts for 2-3 days
- Involves approx. 5-6 hours of helping each day
- Available all year round
- This volunteering trip blends well with nearby sightseeing and relaxation activities
- This project is also family-friendly, children from age 10 can participate.
Nearby fun activities
Nearby activities: hiking, mountain biking, rafting, Incan ruins, markets, Machu Picchu.
Successes to date:
Many stoves and bathrooms have been installed throughout Peru, making homes safer and healthier, and thousands of trees have been saved through the use of eco-friendly stoves.
This project is for you if:
- You are looking for a project that enables you to interact meaningfully with the local people
- You would like an experience that has a tangible outcome
- You are happy rolling up your sleeves and getting involved
This trip blends well with a lot of sightseeing and relaxation activities. Nearby activities: hiking, mountain biking, rafting, Incan ruins, markets, Machu Picchu.
Suggested Peru Trip Itinerary
Stoves and Sacred Sites – 14 Days
Example Price: US$7,990 per adult, US$6,500 per child
This adventure enables you and your family to not only interact with the Peruvian people and leave a legacy by helping renovate a home or teach English (or use your medical skills if you have them); you will also be dazzled by the awesome Machu Picchu which you reach by a luxury lodge trek, and be spellbound by the charms of colonial Cusco…all in luxury.
Trip Highlights
- Make a lasting difference renovating a home in a Sacred Valley village
- Private guided tour of Cusco and the Sacred Valley
- Luxury lodge trek to Machu Picchu
- Private guided tour of Machu Picchu
Price Includes
- Luxury accommodation throughout
- Private transfers
- Expert local guides
- Meals as specified
- Volunteering costs
- Flights within Peru
Note: Price excludes international flights
Sample Day by Day
- Day 1: Arrive Lima, connect with your flight to Cusco, met at airport, transfer to La Casona
- Day 2: Private guided tour of Cusco, customized for you
- Day 3: Private guided tour of the Sacred Valley, customized for you. Stay at Hacienda Urubumba
- Day 4-6: Renovate a home for a Peruvian village family. Return to Hacienda Urubumba each day
- Day 7-12: Luxury lodge-based trek to Machu Picchu
- Day 13: Enjoy a private tour of Machu Picchu. Return to Cusco by train
- Day 14: Transfer to the airport, fly to Lima and fly home
Note: This is a sample itinerary only, which can be customized to your exact requirements
Note – this is purely a sample itinerary, designed to give you a flavour of the country, local volunteering projects, and nearby sightseeing activities. We delight in crafting trips to your exact preferences. Inclusions and exclusions may vary accordingly. You can customize this trip to suit your specific requirements, in fact any aspect of the itinerary can be altered, from excursions to accommodation.
Here are some suggestions to customize this itinerary:
- Explore the Amazon jungle by boat or in a luxury lodge
- Encounter condors in Colca Canyon and enjoy colonial Arequipa
- Take a cooking class or course in Lima or Cusco
- Visit the floating island of Uros on Lake Titicaca
Discover more about Peru >>
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