Sustainability
Our Commitment to Sustainable Impact
We believe travel should be a circle of mutual benefit between our volunteers, students, the local community, and the planet.
Social & Cultural Sustainabilty
We don’t just operate in Cusco; we are part of its fabric. Our social mission ensures that your visit creates a positive ripple effect that lasts after you leave Peru.
- Fair Wages & Local Employment: 100% of our teachers, local staff, and host families receive fair, competitive and dignified compensation.
- Cultural Preservation: Through our Spanish and Quechua language programs as well as cultural activities and workshops, we promote knowledge of, and respect for, Andean culture and traditions.
- Projects With Real Impact: We work with projects that make genuine positive impact in the Cusco region. Our partners all have their own mission but are united by a commitment to ethical and meaningful volunteering.
- The “Direct-to-Project” Model: We are one of the few organizations in Peru with a $0 volunteer program fee. Your project donations go directly into the hands of the local clinics, schools and other local projects you serve.
In December 2025 Proyecto Peru donated several high quality printers to local Pronoeis; kindergartens which serve disadvantaged children in and around Cusco. We also took the opportunity to present the hardworking teachers with individual Christmas gifts.
Students
Projects
Volunteers
Years of experience
Protecting our Unique Landscapes
Cusco is a high-altitude ecosystem that requires careful protection. Here are some of the ways we minimize our footprint:
- Digital-first Materials: Handbooks and other materials are provided to students, volunteers and interns, which helps to minimize paper-waste
- Market-to-Table Dining: We encourage our homestay families to source meals from local ingredients and markets, reducing “food-miles” and supporting small-scale Peruvian farmers.
- Plastic Use Reduction: We work to avoid using plastics wherever possible, such as by providing volunteers with multi-use cutlery and providing reusable drinking cups in our reception.
- Promoting public transport use: Cusco has an extensive low-cost bus system, and we encourage our visitors to use it for travel to their projects and when exploring the city and wider region.
- Education: Helping our visitors to understand how they can be part of protecting our shared environment.
Ethical Volunteering vs. Voluntourism
We believe volunteering is only sustainable if it is requested, not forced. We ensure viability by:
Filling Real Gaps: We only place volunteers in roles identified by local partners as both high-need and of real impact.
Sustainability of Care: We don’t start projects we can’t finish. Our school has been a permanent fixture in Cusco since 2005, providing a 20-year chain of consistent support.
Skill-Based Matching: We ensure your skills (Medical, Educational, Animal Care or even Marketing) match the specific needs of the assigned project for maximum impact.
How to be a Conscious Guest in Peru
We invite all our students and volunteers to adopt these five principles for a more meaningful journey:
- Care with Water: Cusco is a semi-arid region. Take short showers and turn off the tap/faucet. Every drop counts at 3,400 meters.
- Ask Before You Snap: Treat local people with dignity. Always ask for permission before taking photos of locals or children in traditional dress.
- Support local business: Skip the global chains. Your Soles have more power when spent at a local picantería or artisan workshop.
- Stay on the Path: When trekking to Machu Picchu, Rainbow Mountain or any of the other amazing landmarks of the region, stay on marked trails where possible to help prevent erosion in these fragile environments.
- Learn the Language: Even a “hola” or “gracias” can build a bridge of respect that no amount of money would buy. The more you can interact in Spanish or Quechua the more your effort will be appreciated.
