MiPequeñaAyuda – MySmallHelp Peru provides education, health and skills training to children and youth with disabilities and low-income. Located in the incredible Peruvian Andes near Machu Picchu, the organization provides several opportunities for international volunteers.
We had the opportunity to speak with the director of the organization, Jessica Sánchez. Jessica has a pretty wonderful story of how she followed her passion and changed career directions to become the director of MySmallHelp Peru. Let’s jump into the interview and learn more about the organization and Jessica:
Can you tell me a bit about yourself and your involvement with MySmallHelp Peru?
I am a Peruvian woman born in Lima, the capital of Peru, but I moved to Ollantaytambo, Cusco, where I live since 5 years ago when I accepted to take over MySmallHelp Peru.
I am a professional in business management, and I have work experience in public institutions and private companies in Peru. I have worked in marketing, supervising advertising campaigns of national and international reach, in communications and public relations, organizing events of national reach, as well as providing consulting.
I have been working in the non-profit sector for 7 years. I started as a volunteer in MySmallHelp Peru back in 2012, until 2014, when the English founders decided to hand over the organization to a Peruvian citizen. At that time, I didn’t hesitate to leave everything I had in the city, even though that meant a complete change of my lifestyle, to pursue my passion for advocacy and helping others. I then became the Director and the Legal Representative of the organization, in charge of the strategic planning, fundraising and the allocation of funds, promoting the organization, managing alliances with national and international partners, and the general management of the organization.
I consider myself as a passionate, strong woman, and a leader. I am a professional with high/strong values, responsible, creative, perseverant and committed. I also like to accomplish what I have set my mind on. My greatest motivation to do this work is to offer the opportunities I had in my life to those children in the Andean region, who otherwise won’t have the chance to a better life due to disabilities, cultural hindrance, or other barriers that refrain them from having their basic rights. One of my main goals in life is to make a difference and positive impacts in our world and to inspire others to get involved and become active members of change in society.
Can you tell me about your organization?
MiPequeñaAyuda – MySmallHelp Peru is a Peruvian non-profit organization that supports children and youth with disabilities or low-income in the Cusco region by providing them access to education, health care and skills training, as well as developing mid- and long-term sustainable projects to improve their chance of having a brighter future.
Our vision is to raise awareness and promote social inclusion of vulnerable people, especially those with disabilities. We want to create a culture of change and avoid dependency by challenging the current mindset of poverty as well as empower them to be responsible for their own growth and take control of their own lives.
We rely on values such as: passion & commitment; collaboration; empowerment; and respect & social inclusion, and we work with 3 target groups: the beneficiary, his/her family and their communities because we want to make a real positive impact in our beneficiaries lives. Therefore, we need to include their environment (families and communities) in each of the beneficiaries’ development processes.
We have 4 main areas of work or programs:
- Integral Support Program: We support 15 children and youth with disabilities or low-income in various fields (e.g. educational, health, social, emotional, legal, etc.) according to mid- and long-term individualized development plans (IDP) based on each beneficiary’s specific needs. We also provide support for their families.
- Community Development Program: We help improve the quality of life for our beneficiary families and communities in the Ollantaytambo area by developing activities including but not limited to construction, sustainable farming and gardening, recycling campaigns, repairing schools and neighborhoods, facilitating training and educational workshops.
- Educational Program: We host English classes as part of our English project, and different workshops in rural schools. We also provide support from our volunteers in community and special needs public schools that we are partners with.
- Health and Social Aid Campaigns: We organize health campaigns with health care professionals and aid campaigns in communities during the cold season, Christmas, etc. We provide donations and materials for the children in the local community, health checking and treatment, training, and education, as well as providing goods to alleviate certain issues that the people in the communities are facing, like the extreme cold seasons. We also collaborate with public and private partners in organizing these types of campaigns.
We currently positively impact the lives of 15 families in vulnerable situations part of our Integral Support Program, 180+ children through the educational program, and 200+ villagers each year as part of the community development program and campaigns.
How was your organization founded?
The organization was founded by a group of English people in 2011, as a response to unmet needs of people with disabilities in the Ollantaytambo area, a niche that was unattended at that time.
In March 2011, MiPequeñaAyuda – MySmallHelp Peru was registered as a non-profit organization to pursue the mission of improving living conditions for Peruvians (especially children who have disabilities) and their families. At the inception of MySmallHelp Peru, it was branch organization of MySmallHelp UK, but after the years when I took over, it became an independent, self-sustainained and a 100% Peruvian non-profit organization.
What are you most proud of about MySmallHelp Peru?
I feel the most proud of the improvements of our children. They are the reason why we do this work and we have invested much resources into improving along the years (we are always seeking to improve). Running a non-profit organization is not easy especially when you’re small and there are limitations in terms of resources and funds, but seeing our beneficiaries’ improvements and accomplishments, and being able to provide more services and opportunities to them, is worth it.
I am also proud about the bonds that we have created with the people that we serve, the families and the communities. We are a small organization in which the environment is more like a family than a work type of relationship. So when a person or family is accepted as a beneficiary of our organization, they became part of our – the MySmallHelp Peru – family and we become part of theirs. This helps us to get people more involved in the work, as it is important for them to actively participate in their (or their children’s) process of change and development.
What are some of the ways volunteers can work with you and does it cost money?
Our program is open all year long and there are 3 types of volunteering:
- On-site volunteers
- Groups and corporate volunteering
- Online volunteers
The volunteer program has no cost; however, we ask the volunteers working in Ollantaytambo to stay in our volunteer house, which is a social project in itself. For the on-site volunteers, we ask for a contribution that allows us to cover maintenance expenses and part of the projects of the organization.
The costs for accommodation varies according to the volunteer’s length of stay. The cost per night ranges between US$ 6 – US$ 10 daily. We request a minimum commitment of one month, however there may be exceptions depending on specific circumstances or skills offered.
We are looking for general volunteers and we also have specific volunteer positions. Due to the COVID-19 crisis we have launched several online volunteer positions: Fundraising and grant writing, marketing and social media, graphic designer, administrative Assistant volunteer and translators.
The profile of the applicants is:
- Intermediate level of written and spoken Spanish, minimum. Intermediate level of English is a plus.
- Proactive, reliable, creative, charismatic, and willing to help wherever needed.
- Strong interest or experience in working with children, people with disabilities or group management (not mandatory, but a plus).
- Able to live and work in a team environment.
- Able to adapt to different settings and respect people from different backgrounds, including economic, cultural, and linguistic.
How to apply?
People interested in volunteering with us can apply through this link.
Once we receive their contact information, we will then send an online application form to fill out and all the information about the MSH volunteer program.
Other ways to support MiPequeñaAyuda – MySmallHelp Peru
- Making a Donation: Donation of funds can be a one time or recurring donation. Companies can provide a percentage of their sales as a donation.
- In-kind contributions (especially for specific campaigns, and which requires prior coordination).
- Support in communications and events: sponsoring, spreading the word about MSH Peru’s work and campaigns, and organizing fundraising events.
- Contribution of professional services in various fields.
Contact information, our website, and social media:
I also include the link about our current fundraising campaign: “Together We Can Help!”
Can you name a few other organizations that you would recommend volunteering with or supporting? These can be anywhere in the world.
- OyeLena, in Kurawasi, Abancay, Peru – They work with children with disabilities. Contact: oyelena.peru@gmail.com Website: www.oyelenaperu.com
- Bolivia Digna in Cochabamba, Bolivia – Contact: info@boliviadigna.org Website: www.boliviadigna.org
- Great Indonesia – Contact: info@greatindonesia.org Website: www.greatindonesia.org
Thanks to Jessica for taking the time to share her story and the story of MySmallHelp Peru with us. It was great to learn more about your organization and the incredible work you are doing!
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