Experience the challenges of public health care in an underdeveloped area of remote Peru
Live and work in the outskirts of the Peruvian Amazon and gain valuable experience at a local health center offering medical support and assistance. This is an ideal program for a medical or nursing student to learn and give back whilst experiencing this incredible natural beauty of this remote corner of Peru.
This conservation-focused organization’s overall goal is to produce a long-lasting change in the way local communities interact with the rainforest. They work towards this through a range of programs including youth empowerment, education, and promoting tourism in the region. Their intention is to reduce poverty by providing new job opportunities, thus diminishing the reliance on environmentally harmful activities and financially incentivising sustainable practices in the area. As part of this work, they provide medical support to the healthcare system in Puerto Inca, a remote province of the Huánuco region which struggles with poor infrastructure, overcrowding, and limited resources.
Your role as an intern to help provide this medical support. There are a range of departments in need of help so the exact nature of your work will be determined by your training and qualifications. In all cases though, you can expect packed days dealing with the chaotic demands of healthcare provision in a rural, underdeveloped area. This could be administering vaccinations, suturing wounds, conducting physical examinations, or any number of other things.
This is a conservation-focused NGO based on the outskirts of the Peruvian Amazon working to protect the rainforest through youth empowerment and community development. They have a series of goals aimed to reduce poverty and drive sustainable development in the local region including improving education for children for the area, teaching English skills, and creating infrastructure for tourism. They believe that by building skills and creating new job opportunities, they can curtail activities that harm the rainforest and incentivize its conservation.
Interns will assist with the day-to-day running of this rural community’s healthcare center. This will be demanding, challenging, unpredictable work but incredibly rewarding too. As well as this more general medical support, interns will have the chance to specialize depending on their expertise and interests. Interns could focus their time on general medicine, obstetrics, nursing, psychology, odontology, pharmaceuticals, or lab work.
Interns stay in one of the project’s cabins in Puerto Inca. You’ll have basic amenities including showers, long drop compost toilets, a bed with a mosquito net, Wifi, and a kitchen where you can cook for yourself. This is very basic accommodation with limited resources, so this program is best suited for interns prepared for a more stripped back way of life.
Make sure to visit your doctor and dentist for a check-up before yor internship and to get all the recommended vaccines and/or medications necessary to stay healthy.
The village of Puerto Inca has no running water. People use water wells to get water so we recommend bringing a portable water filter to make sure you are drinking clean water, particularly during trips to the jungle.
There is Wifi in the cabin but the connection can be a bit unreliable, so you can do video calls but streaming is not really possible. It’s recommended to buy a local SIM card with unlimited internet, especially if you also need to do online work. Be sure your phone is unlocked for international carriers before your arrival.
Breakfast and lunch are included during working days. You will need to cook your own food during the evening and weekends or you can go out for a meal. Generally for a few dollars you can get a nice meal consisting of an appetizer (soup or salad) and a main dish. A soft fruit juice is often part of the menu as well. You can also go fruit picking as there are plenty of fruits around the village for free.
You’ll be based in Puerto Inca in the Huánuco region of Peru. This is an area of stunning natural beauty situated along the Sira Mountains in the Amazon Rainforest and bisected by the Pachitea River. The majority of the population lives off farming but deep within the jungle native communities still upholding their customs and traditions can be found too. As well as its extraordinary biodiversity, the area is famed for a number of geological and archaeological sites that you can visit during your internship.
Internships begin on a Monday and it’s recommended to arrive on weekends, so you can explore Puerto Inca before your official first day. Start and end dates are flexible and will be discussed with you during the selection process.
Note: meals & Spanish classes are NOT included after week 12
What you’ll pay (2024 rates)
4 weeks USD 1,833
8 weeks USD 2,491
12 weeks USD 3,150
16 weeks USD 3,150
20 weeks USD 3,150
26 weeks USD 3,150
Some of our most commonly asked questions for programs in Peru.
You can expect to be in bustling cities or a completely remote jungle, depending on your internship of choice. Also, you’ll be collaborating with local professionals and volunteers that will offer you insights into Peruvian work ethics and practices. Beyond your internship, your weekends and free time can be spent discovering the overall breathtaking beauty of the country.
During your internship in Peru, you’ll be able to utilize your professional and personal skills, as well as develop those skills that you feel could use more work. Also, employers may see your CV as more favorable, since it’ll show that you were a part of a meaningful international grassroots project, which shows a variety of transferable qualities. If you want to know more about how doing a nonprofit internship is good for your career, make sure to check this blog out!
Yes, but you must check with your university supervisor that this experience qualifies. You can also buy additional transfer credits to add onto your internship.
Unfortunately, no. You can find other ways to fund your internship as you will not be paid while working with a nonprofit organization. Your internship experience will bring a wealth of new knowledge, along with opportunities for professional and personal growth which are both invaluable!
If you’re ready to apply for this internship, here’s what to do:
Fill in the application form (it will show in a new screen) which includes sharing your CV to us.
We’ll set up a call with you to go through your application.
If we feel it’s a good match, we’ll set up a call between you and the supervisor for this internship.
If everyone’s happy, we’ll provisionally confirm your placement! We’ll then send you the invoice for the deposit, getting started with the booking process and all the info you need.
Only once we receive payment of the deposit your placement will be confirmed.
Or if you’d just like to ask us some questions about this internship first, just fill in the contact form below. We’ll be happy to assist!
ABOUT US
At Roots, we create the perfect balance between meaningful work and valuable learning through internships with nonprofits & social enterprises in Africa, Asia, Europe, and Latin America.
CONTACT
UK: +44 139 269 0255
US: +1 617 500 6179
internship@rootsinterns.com
OFFICE: Cape Town, South Africa
SOCIAL
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ABOUT US
At Roots, we create the perfect balance between meaningful work and valuable learning through internships with nonprofits & social enterprises in Africa, Asia, Europe, and Latin America.
CONTACT
UK: +44 139 269 0255
US: +1 617 500 6179
internship@rootsinterns.com
OFFICE: Cape Town, South Africa
SOCIAL
SIGN UP TO OUR NEWSLETTER
ABOUT US
At Roots, we create the perfect balance between meaningful work and valuable learning through internships with nonprofits & social enterprises in Africa, Asia, Europe, and Latin America.
CONTACT
UK: +44 139 269 0255
US: +1 617 500 6179
internship@rootsinterns.com
OFFICE: Cape Town, South Africa
SOCIAL
SIGN UP TO OUR NEWSLETTER
