SERVICE TRAVEL
PROGRAM
EXPERIENCE Andean CULTURE AND craft
while volunteering in a ‘living inca city’
Ollantaytambo, Cusco, Perú
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www.awamaki.org
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[email protected]
AWAMAKI
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Awamaki is an organization which works to economically empower disadvantaged Quechuan women and
preserve the traditional craft of weaving in Ollantaytambo, a small town in Peru’s Sacred Valley. Awamaki runs
three programs: Women’s Cooperatives, Sustainable Tourism, and Community Education.
The Women's Cooperatives program organizes women's groups who work in spinning, weaving, knitting, and
sewing. Through regular skill-building workshops we enable the women to improve the quality of their
products. Awamaki then connects the cooperatives with access to local and international markets through
our Fair Trade Store and international sales.
weavers in our cooperatives that would otherwise not have access to the tourism market. By promoting
unique insight into Quechua life and provides local families with additional income.
In our Community Education program, we arrange for international volunteers to teach classes in English and
and workshops, we aim to give community members the opportunity to build skills and access information
that enables them to increase their incomes and quality of life.
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The Awamaki Service Travel Program is a 3-10 week international volunteer opportunity that joins language
education, cultural immersion and group activities with service work. Service Travel offers volunteers the
chance to lend a hand and build their awareness of Andean culture, community development, and current
Peruvian issues. Service Travel is more than just volunteering; participants are able to educate themselves
through hands on community engagement, classroom based learning, and exploration of the unique sites of
Peru.
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As an Awamaki volunteer, you will have the opportunity to connect with local people, get involved with a project
you are passionate about, and learn a ton. The Service Travel Program aims to provide international volunteers with
meaningful cultural exchange and empowering experiences that foster a passion for global issues and
community-driven development.
SERVICE
o We will assign you a volunteer project based on your skills and interests. You could work at the local preschool,
tutor English students, help out at the Awamaki Fair Trade store, or even lead day hikes to Inca ruins.
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o Every week you will take 6 hours of private Spanish Classes tailored to your speaking level.
o You will have the chance to participate in regular group discussions focused on Andean culture, community
development, cultural sensitivity, and current Peruvian issues.
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o You will experience life with an Ollantino family while living in an Awamaki homestay.
o Local artisans will teach you the crafts of traditional Andean cooking and basket weaving.
o Women in an Awamaki weaving cooperative will teach you the traditional craft of Andean backstrap weaving.
Together we will venture to a remote Andean community for four days where we will learn to weave on the
Andean backstrap loom, live with local families, and explore the mountainside.
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The core of the program takes place in Ollantaytambo where participants will be hosted by a homestay family. Our
homestay families are mostly middle-class Ollantinos who work in the local economy as artisans, teachers, drivers,
chefs, etc. Awamaki’s homestay program is one of our most successful endeavors. Our homestays enable visitors
and locals to connect through intercultural and linguistic exchange while providing families with a direct and
sustainable income through tourism.
Ollantaytambo is a great town in which to live and volunteer. Located in the Sacred Valley between Cusco and
Machu Picchu, the tourist economy keeps residents busy, and ensures plenty of restaurants, cafes, and weekend
Ollantaytambo maintains a strong sense of Andean identity. The town is nestled amid towering mountains.
Historically Ollanta was an Inca administrative center, and today is home to some of the most impressive Inca ruins
in Peru. The town is a UNESCO heritage site and boasts the title of Peru’s only “living Inca city”. Set on Inca
foundations, many of the existing buildings are made up of original Inca stones.
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Ollantaytambo in the Sacred Valley of Cusco, Peru. Volunteers are an important part of Awamaki’s operations.
our programs with energy, enthusiasm and fresh ideas.
COSTS
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Orientation
Airport reception
Homestay meals and accommodation
6 hours of private Spanish instruction
per week
Volunteer project placement
Bi-weekly group cultural discussions
Four Day Weaving Immersion Workshop
Peruvian Cooking Class
Basket Weaving Class
Welcome and Goodbye gatherings
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Natural Dye Workshop
Wood Carving Class
Local Hikes
Visiting local ruins
Machu Picchu
Cusco Weekend
Salineras Moray Weekend
Pisac Day Trip
Chinchero Day Trip
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