The AMIGOS Volunteers for Cusco, Perú arrived on Wednesday morning to a gorgeous morning in the Andes and a very excited staff team! After resting, Volunteers participated in five days of AMIGOS briefing conducted mostly in Spanish. Joining our Volunteers from the United States are four Peruvian Volunteers, three of whom study at the University of Cusco. The Peruvian Volunteers will be spending the next two months living with host families and working with the Volunteers from the United States. We were also joined at training by other students from the University of Cusco (who will spend one day a week working with Volunteers on specific topics that are relevant to what they study) as well as “youth counterparts” (who are from the same communities the Volunteers will be living in). It was an incredible five days of cultural exchange, sharing, and relationship forming.

During the five days of training Volunteers reviewed how to plan educational activities and how to mobilize a community to begin the CBI process. We were joined by representatives from our partner agency, the Peruvian Ministry of Health (MINSA), for training on more specific topics such as the healthy families and communities initiative, sexual and reproductive health, the causes of maternal mortality, and nutrition in years 0-5. We are excited to cover these topics in educational activities as the summer progresses. During training Volunteers also spent time exploring Cusco, playing games, learning their first words in Quechua, and forming relationships with one another.

On Sunday morning Volunteers boarded buses for the various regions we are working in and were introduced to their host family and community. It was an amazing process to watch all the amazing families our staff has gotten to know meet the wonderful and excited Volunteers. During their first week in community they will focus on learning about the community and relationship building. This process often involves the creation of a community map, attending community meetings, and reviewing the themes of future educational activities with community members.

The group of Volunteers is incredibly insightful and prepared and we cannot wait to see what ideas they dream up and accomplish this summer!