Lima, Peru
Population: 8.432 million
Land Area: 2,672 km²
Languages: Spanish & Quechua
Currency: Peruvian Sol
About lima
Lima is Peru’s capital and a modern sprawling city with around 10 million inhabitants. It is located on the arid coast of western Peru and is known for its world-class cuisine, wealth of history (pre-Inca and colonial), and vibrant art scene. MEDLIFE is headquartered in this diverse city, but for reasons beyond why a typical tourist might stop here.
Why You Should Come
Lima is Peru’s capital and a modern, sprawling city of 10 million inhabitants. MEDLIFE is headquartered in this diverse city, but for reasons beyond why a typical tourist might stop here. MEDLIFE’s work in Lima focuses on the human settlements or “pueblos jovenes” in the outskirts of Lima, where almost 1 million people live in impoverished conditions. These communities consist of small shacks, often made of reed mats or plywood and built into the precarious rocky hillsides around Lima. Most of these communities lack access to basic services like running water and electricity. While the entire city was badly hit by COVID-19, these communities were affected severely. With the majority of the population living hand-to-mouth on wages from informal jobs, the pandemic brought months of financial hardship and food insecurity. Our COVID-19 relief effort helped make sure that families didn’t go hungry, but further support is needed to get communities back on their feet.
How You Can Help
MEDLIFE addresses some of the most pressing issues in these communities through Mobile Clinics, patient follow-up, and community development projects. But our work would not be possible without motivated individuals like you choosing to volunteer in Service Learning Trips (SLT).
Additional Travel opportunities
A trip to Peru would be incomplete without witnessing the majesty of Machu Picchu and experiencing the spectacular rolling sand dunes of Ica. With optional tourism extensions offered by our partner travel company, Good Life Expeditions, you can explore more of your SLT destination while continuing to support MEDLIFE partner communities and traveling sustainably.
