Student volunteers from a local school in the town of St. Mary’s Ontario not only had the trip of a lifetime in Cusco, Peru where they served local communities through assisting in providing healthcare and a development project, but they have also been featured in an article in their town’s local newspaper!
Niko Taylor, the author of the article and a student who participated on the trip, wrote about her experience traveling alongside the other dedicated volunteers to the stunning rural communities in Cusco. She shared some insight into what volunteering with MEDLIFE looks like and what volunteers get to learn about before servicing these communities: “After a couple of days of adjusting to new environments and the strikingly high altitude of Cusco, a reality tour began which exposed us to the many barriers, inequalities and issues faced by those living in rural, low-income communities outside of the city – one of the most prevalent being healthcare and education disparities.”
During their Mobile Clinic days, they were able to see over 200 patients, assisting them in accessing comprehensive medical care that is otherwise miles away from where they live and incredibly difficult to access. Taylor gave insight into what herself and the volunteers learned and observed while working within these communities: “The impact of this service-learning trip went beyond providing medical treatment. The opportunity to connect with locals and gain insights on their ways of life, culture, struggles, but also their resilience, allowed me to recognize the vastly different lives we live, but also how we were able to form meaningful relationships despite language barriers.”
Our amazing volunteers also assisted in our greenhouse project. “With a beautiful view of mountains and cattle in the distance, we spent the morning preparing soil and planting a variety of produce to build greenhouses for two rural families, which will provide a stable and healthy source of food and nutrition for locals.”
The trip not only assisted a local community in Cusco, but allowed the volunteers from St. Mary’s Ontario to witness a reality different from their own. These students now have a first-hand understanding of what it is that creates barriers to access to necessities like healthcare, education, and infrastructure. We hope that this experience can be a foundation for our amazing volunteers to build a global perspective on these issues that they can apply to everything throughout their lives.
We’re so proud of the dedication the volunteers from the town of St. Mary’s Ontario displayed. Discover the entire story by reading the full article here on page 20!
To learn how you and your school can travel abroad and assist low-income communities like the ones mentioned in this blog, fill out the interest form below or check out our upcoming trips!