Who Volunteers?

Anyone with the necessary Spanish skills (refer to FAQ 7), a sense of adventure, a desire for service, and a healthy dose of humor, patience and tolerance for humidity and bugs is welcome to apply. Over the years, we’ve hosted:

• Medical professionals (MDs, dentists, RNs, medical technicians, dietitians, etc.)

• Medical students – medical, dental, and related fields

• Veterinary professionals and students

• Teachers and educators at all levels

• Skilled tradespersons – construction workers, electricians, plumbers, carpenters, other tradespersons

• Artists & musicians

• School volunteer groups – university and high school groups and organizations, including service groups like Nourish International.

• Church service groups

• Independent individuals, family groups and groups of friends/acquaintances

• Minors 17 years of age (with parental permission, and with placement only when a Project Amazonas principal is on site for the duration

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Where does Project Amazonas work?

We work only in the Peruvian Amazon, specifically the Departamento de Loreto, in north-eastern Peru. Our focal areas are the Rio Orosa, Rio Apayacu, and Rio Mazan areas – eastward of the city of Iquitos, which is our home base. We do not work in, nor do we have contacts in the Peruvian highlands, southern Peru, or in Brazil, Ecuador or other Amazonian countries. We also work only in rural areas, and do not arrange volunteer activities in the city of Iquitos.

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All in-person volunteers need to be able to legally travel to Peru., and are responsible for meeting any visa or other travel requirements. 

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Can you arrange volunteer experiences in other locations?

We are happy to pass on any contact information we might have for other organizations or individuals in other locations, but we do not otherwise arrange opportunities elsewhere. 

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Can I volunteer without going to the Amazon?

Glad you asked! There are numerous opportunities for volunteering at home. We can always use people with web-site development, fund-raising, grant-writing, legal, media, and social-media skills, as well as others who may have skills as graphic artists, have translation capabilities from English/Spanish to other languages, or be interested in promoting or developing support for specific programs in the Peruvian Amazon. We can also use people with experience in video and photo editing, on-line publishing and related fields.

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For students who might need to fulfill service-hour requirements for their programs, this could be a great opportunity.

 

Do you place all volunteers?

No. We simply can’t. We don’t run a volunteer-placement service, nor will we invent busy-work. Neither do we have the time or resources to arrange “jungle experiences” with a veneer of service or volunteering on top. There are many tour operations and jungle lodges in the Peruvian Amazon that provide that experience at competitive cost (refer to Mr[s] Google). Volunteers need to be able to fit their skills into concrete activities that meet our overall mission objectives, and which contribute to ongoing and sustainable initiatives. Some would-be volunteers may also have technical skills that we simply can’t take advantage of given the technological limitations of working in the Amazon. We also do not have “walk-in” volunteer opportunities – i.e., we can’t accommodate requests like “I’m arriving in Iquitos next week, can I volunteer for two days?”  We don’t have a volunteer coordinator staff person, and we are often out of email / cell range for 7-10 days at a time.

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If we do not have a placement available, we will refer you to other organizations or institutions when we can. The Amazon is a tremendously big place with lots to do. We have no illusions of “ownership” and recognize that collaboration with individuals, communities and organizations is the most productive route to our long-term goals.

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Are there volunteers that you won't accept?

We do not accept volunteers whose specific objectives are to proselytize, to promote a particular political or ideological agenda, or who are seeking Amazon medical or psychological experiences or cures. Such activities, however valid they may be, are simply outside of our area of interest and expertise. We also do not accept volunteers who are looking to relocate to the Amazon on a long-term or permanent basis. We are not here to help you find yourself, or to serve as a re-location agency.

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Do volunteers need to speak Spanish?

In most cases intermediate or better Spanish is highly recommended. Spanish is the primary language in our area and most locals speak no English or Portuguese, though they may understand the latter. In rural areas, some people also speak indigenous languages, but will be conversant in Spanish. Latin American Spanish has many differences from Castilian Spanish, and in Peru in particular, there are many borrowed words/terms from Quechua and other indigenous languages.

 

Being conversant in Spanish will make your volunteer and travel experience so much more rewarding. If you speak no Spanish, we recommend deferring volunteering and taking a Spanish course (there are many in-person and on-line options, including a number of free ones). If you need to brush up on your Spanish skills, language schools and tutors are available in major cities in Peru. 

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Exceptions:  Those who volunteer with a Project Amazonas scheduled activity led by Spanish-speakers, or who volunteer with a group where some members speak Spanish don't need to have Spanish skills. We still recommend taking a starting Spanish course before traveling to Peru, however. 

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What costs are associated with volunteering? Why?

Volunteers need to be able to cover the following budget items:

• Transport to/from Iquitos (most, if not all volunteers will arrive by air). If air travel uses up most of your budget, consider postponing travel to the Amazon and volunteer closer to home.

• Any lodging and meals in Iquitos.

• All personal items, medications, souvenirs, costs for travel documents, etc.

• Transportation between Iquitos and the volunteering location (this may be a shared cost).

• Food and fuel costs at the volunteering location – depending on whether volunteers do their own cooking, the quality, type and amount of food, and whether bottled beverages are included, such costs can range from $8-$25/day. In some cases, we can make a weekly food delivery based on a rate of $20/day including transportation of the food items. For volunteers at Santa Cruz, we recommend that you make a weekly trip to Mazan where you can purchase food items directly at the market and in stores. 

• A $30/week (or portion there-of) field station user fee for staying at a Project Amazonas field station – this helps defray wear and tear on facilities and goes into the general operating fund.  We provide accommodations, bedding and mosquito nets. 

• Laundry - laundry can be done by hand or can be arranged with a local laundry-person. s/30 (~$8) is the standard rate for a large load of laundry. 

• Overall, we suggest a budget of $20 to $35/day to cover food, transportation, laundry, field station fees and other costs. Short-term volunteers will likely have costs on the higher end, longer-term volunteers will find opportunities to reduce daily costs. Groups of 2 or more volunteers will also be able to significantly reduce per-person costs.

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As a non-profit operated on a pro-bono basis by board members and officers, we do not have the resources to host volunteers at no cost.  Fuels (for transport) and food are the primary costs to volunteers, and transportation expenses are high in the region. We have considerable investment in the facilities at our field stations and need to be able to maintain them. We work to minimize transportation and other costs wherever possible, but volunteers need to cover their own expenses. We try to be as upfront about those expenses as possible. 

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Are there age limits for volunteers?

In general, volunteers need to be 18-years of age or older, and in good health. We do accept unaccompanied 17-yr olds if they have parental / guardian permission; but only when a Project Amazonas principal is on site for the duration of the volunteer activities. Minors accompanied by parents or legal guardians are also welcome. As long as you are in good health, there is no maximum age for volunteers. We strongly encourage volunteers of all ages to to consult with their personal physician prior to travel.

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 What length of time can I volunteer for?

With the exception of volunteers with needed specialized skills, as well as medical and dental volunteers, we require a 10-14 day minimal commitment. Logistics, travel time, orientation, and the necessary coordination mean that fewer days just aren't worth it. Maximum length of time that we will accept volunteers for is 2 months (with rare exceptions). 

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Are there any other requirements?

Travel to volunteer locations from Iquitos always requires travel by boat, so we require that all volunteers know how to swim. Also you need to prove that you are sane and reasonable. This can be done by timely and interesting and intelligent email exchanges. QAnoners and anti-vaxxers need not apply. Speaking of the latter, it is your responsibility to check out the CDC recommendations for vaccinations prior to travel to the Peruvian Amazon. There are vaccines for rabies, yellow fever and typhoid,, but if you want to take your chances with the vampire bats, mosquitos and 'adventurous food', it's on you.