Carita de Plátano is the non profit organization that directs “Salaverry and Miramar” school, a Ministry of Education approved Basic educational facility in Salaverry, Perú located approximately 10 kilometers south of Trujillo. Salaverry, and neighboring Miramar, are Pueblos Jóvenes, or shanty towns, built out of nothing and sites of extreme poverty. Drug abuse, family violence, child labor are common in these this region and other pueblos jóvenes.
By tailoring programs to the special needs of its 100 students the school greatly extends the previously limited access to free quality education previously in Salaverry and Miramar. In addition the school runs several program directed at special sectors of students including literacy, arts and vocational education.
Volunteer labor is of great help to the school. 
While classes must be taught by Peruvian teachers given the need to understand the curriculum and communicate effectively with the children volunteer presence is by no means wasted. Volunteers help organize the children, teach English, help out in art class, play, and add to the general education of the kids. While Trujillo is a tourist destination the kids in “Salaverry or Miramar” do not get to meet or work with foreigners. The volunteer program at the school also offers a cultural exchange for the children (and the volunteers) that is rarely available in other educational facilities.(Photo taken by Jantine Diemen, Nederlands)
Carita de Platano is a non profit organization always in need of notebooks, pencils and school supplies. We request, but do NOT mandate, that volunteers bring these items. These donations are at will of the volunteer and there will be no prejudice if a volunteer cannot supply.
E-mail us at davidmercedes@espaanglisch.com to volunteer with this organization.
You can also email adrazkowski@punetesngo.org (Ann Drazkowski, director Puentes -- Previous supporting organization of Carita de Plátano. She knows the program and checks her e-mail a lot.)
Minimum requirements:
- Have basic-intermediate knowledge of the Spanish language. (you don’t speak Spanish but want to volunteer, click here ).
- Must be able to survive in conditions that might not be as "perfect" as in the Western World countries.
- Flexible and openminded.
- Experience with and affection for working with children (6-13 years old).
- Able to work independently.
- Able to deal with chaotic situations,
- Flexible in organizing activities for the children.
- Minimum commitment of 4 weeks. The longer you can stay the better of course.
- Teaching experience is not necessary.
Organization:
Carita de Plátano NGO. Trujillo, Peru www.caritadeplatano.org
To teach children who were left out of a regular school in Trujillo
Project:
The project is a multifaceted approached designed to structure a quality education that will be of lifetime use to its students. Students of the school have typically been left out of public school systems thereby losing the only route to equip them with the education and skills that will allow them to escape the cycle of poverty that exists in Miramar and Salaverry, Trujillo.
Working Location:
Salaverry, and neighboring Miramar, located approximately 10 kilometers 
south of Trujillo., are Pueblos Jóvenes, or shanty towns, built out of nothing and sites of extreme poverty. Drug abuse, family violence, child labor are common in these this region and other pueblos jóvenes.
Trujillo.
Guidance
Classes are taught by Peruvian teachers. Most of them are social workers and 
they will guide all the volunteers how they can help the kids best.
Robinson Castillo, the director of the Carita de Plátano NGO, is the one who you will have more contac with. He is also a teacher and you can count on him anything you might need.
Working hours
Flexible from a couple hours a day (specially in the mornings when the school is open). A minimum stay of 4 weeks is required although more is preferred by the institution and its kids
Benefits of this program:
- Have the chance to help kids who were left out of a regular school.
- Get an impression of the work of an NGO as “Carita de Plátano School” and how they try to help.
- Cheap but great Spanish lessons in Trujillo. (
- Learn a lot about working with children with a difficult background.
- Get to know a Peruvian town like Miramar and Salaverry from an inhabitant’s perspective instead of the short stay tourist perspective.
- Extend your travelling time in Peru at a very low cost of living and recharge your travelling batteries.
- Teaching experience is not necessary.
Minimum requirements:
- A minimum commitment of 4 weeks. Past volunteers have also recommended volunteers considering a longer commitment to get more out of the experience.
- Basic Spanish knowledge.
- Flexible and openminded.
- Enthusiastic and imaginative in organizing activities for the kids.
- 2-3 hours teaching per day (just weekdays).
- Arrival a few days before the star of the term.
- Able to deal with chaotic situations.
- The ability to Culturally Adapt to a non-Western world.
- Pre-arrival contact with Espaanglisch Manager David Mercedes. Some basic information is required before you show up. In addition in busy summer months interest in volunteering position often outweighs positions available. Therefore there is a selection process. We need to get to know you a little bit better before we can decide whether this project is suitable for you. All interested parties can always contact us at: davidmercedes@espaanglisch.com
Required Information:
a) Your name, birthdate, home country, and ideal travel dates.
b) Your first language and additional language abilities.
c) Your personal motivation to volunteer at Carita de Plátano and why this
volunteer position suits you.
d) Your personal expectations of the program. How do you imagine a typical day in
the shanty towns of Miramar or Salaverry (Trujillo) and in the classroom to be? It is naturally impossible to know this with certainty, because this will give us an idea what you expect and we want to avoid disappointments later on.
f) A resume with previous education, volunteer, travel and work experiences. The format can be non traditional.
g) Your availability: when exactly do you want to come and for how long do you want to stay? Please send everything in one go. davidmercedes@espaanglisch.com
What do I get in return?
Of course you get some things in return. All the volunteers working for Carita de PLátano NGO get:
- Volunteer excursions, weekly cookouts with the local teacher and the other volunteers.
- Cheap but great Spanish lessons in Trujillo or Huanchaco.
- Guidance on speaking methods, both on general practices and the normal difficulties that come up in a classroom of native Spanish speaking students. You must be able to work independently, but we are always here to address complaints and concerns that arise in the classroom.
- Discount on the different service for all volunteers.
- (10% on salsa lessons in Trujillo with Elmo Ladero at Salsexy,
- 25% on Peruvian Cooking Lessons with María or Ana at Ce-beache,
- 10% on Spanish lessons with David Mercedes at
- 25% on Surf lessons and all the equipment with Chicho Huamanchumo at Wistana Surf School in Huanchaco, Perú.
- Cheap long term accomodation in Huanchaco or Trujillo for all volunteers. An introduction to the Trujillo and constant advice on where to go and how to get there.
Volunteer housing option:
Hola señora Carmen.
(a family house)
Single room:
Private room per week s/. 90. soles (34. US$)
Things to use included in the price of the room: a bike, free use of the kitchen, washing mashine available, internet access.
no food included.
Dormitory:
a room just for 2 people (2 beds) per week s/.175.soles (63. US$)
Things to use included in the price of the room: a bike, free use of the kitchen, internet access.
no food included.
Experience of past volunteers