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All to help you do more good.
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This volunteer program is based around Colca Canyon near the town of Chivay, in the south of the Peruvian Andes. In this area the indigenous culture is still very strong. Here you will embark on building energy-efficient stoves within the homes of families in the community of Canocota. These benefit them by not only removing smoke from inside the house, but also by reducing the levels of wood consumption, and therefore the amount of local deforestation. During your time you will undertake 20 hours of one-on-one Spanish classes and head out on a three day trek in Colca Canyon. If you plan to explore Perú after your program, trips to Machu Picchu and the Inca Trail can be organised from Arequipa and are a must see.
How this program makes a difference:
Currently, families cook on open fires inside their homes, with smoke inhalation a daily occurrence, especially for the mothers, who often have young children still draped over their backs. This inhalation is eliminated by building enclosed brick stoves with chimneys to take the smoke away. Also, due to the enclosed design of the stoves and a larger cooking surface, cooking becomes more efficient and the families will use less wood, leaving more time for work and study, as well as encouraging a reduction in deforestation. Unofficial recent studies have also shown that the stoves retain heat even once the fire inside has finished so helping to warm the room during the cold high altitude nights.
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