Why Volunteering Matters in Lima, Peru

Interview with Giovanna Luna Victoria, Director of Puericultorio A. Perez Aranibar (PPA)

 

Q: What is your opinion of Global Volunteers' work at the PPA?

 

First of all, I would like to thank Global Volunteers for helping us greatly since 2004. We have a totally vulnerable population and I have seen a lot of social sensibility from each volunteer that comes through Global Volunteers. If we didn’t have the support from institutions such us Global Volunteers, I think we couldn’t do management. I have 209 residents (kids) now who have special education needs. Currently, we have 34% of kids who are kids in social risk and who has been apart from their environment and family. Those kids are very demanding and they need special attention, support, treatment and education and because of that we are working on improving and developing the quality of services and attention. Thanks to Global Volunteers, we have now a remodeled dining room and the kids could be able to see each volunteer working on it.

Because of the kids’ situation, it is important for each of them to see and share  with volunteers. It has a lot of meaning for each kid to share with a volunteer… it is a feeling… it is more important than a donation given. It is important to see that each volunteer that comes to PPA, comes with a lot of disposition to do things and with a lot of love and dedication like Global Volunteers because each day volunteers and I have interviewed many kids from Miguel Echenique Home,  they told me that everyday they have seen volunteers working and sharing moments, conversations and time. It is not only a donation, it is more than that… it is a life lesson that they will remember and keep in their minds and it is great to know that they will have these memories instead of other memories from their families because if they have memories from their families, they are not great and in many cases they are the worst they can have because of the difficulties they lived with them.

Each word and action from every volunteer counts for our children… it is not only to bring something and give them, but instead of that, to share their energy, effort and time is very important and those moments are the ones that develop human beings and make them happy, and we are commitment to make it happen.

I have seen all the support that Global Volunteers has given us, and that is why I would like to invite many more volunteers to visit us. We have 0 to 18 years old kids who are eager to get love, words, hugs… not everything is about money… volunteers are welcome to come to help and give their effort and time because it is what the kids really appreciate and value… a phrase, a word in the right moment is all they need and they will remember it.

I
 am thankful to Global Volunteers and not only me but all the authorities of the Beneficencia de Lima who recognizes and thanks all the support that you have been giving us.

Q: Which are three characteristics that our volunteers have?

First of all, I would say transparency, motivation and sensibility…. They are very sensible to the lack of love and affection that our kids have…. Volunteers come very motivated to work. Volunteers show transparency (sincerity) because in their smiles, their eyes and every word they may say, they come from the bottom of their heart. I think they are values that if we all have them, our Peru would be different.

Q: What do you want volunteers to know?                                                                               

First, I would give every volunteer a big hug… a fraternal hug behalf this institution and each kid at PPA… I would tell volunteers to come back and join us!... I would invite him or her to be part of us taking the help voice from PPA everywhere.

Q: What is special about serving as a volunteer at PPA?

Because we have 209 little open arms… 209 kids who need a fraternal hug, who need love words and who need much help from volunteers like the ones who has been coming through Global Volunteers.