Voluntourists Visiting Peru's Sacred Valley Can Assist Planeterra's Smoke-Free Environment Outreach
Posted by Dave Wiggins d...@travelnewssource.com A smoke-free, healthy environment takes on a whole new meaning in one remote Andean village. Members of the Ccaccaccollo community in Peru's Sacred Valley are learning how to construct adobe stoves complete with innovative pipes to carry smoke outside and away from living areas. The adobe models replace traditional inefficient, unvented stoves that while belching smoke into the home, create upper respiratory health problems and eye infections. This hands-on initiative launched in July 2009 is the latest Planeterra Community Development Project, announced Richard G. Edwards, Director, Planeterra Foundation (www.planeterra.org). As with most Planeterra Foundation voluntourism projects around the world, travelers will split their vacation time helping the community combined with culturally immersive excursions into the countryside. The Ccaccaccollo project high in the Andes will give voluntourists the opportunity to build stoves alongside community members during a home stay on Project Machu Picchu, a 13-day Lima to Cuzco tour that also includes visits to various archeological sites in the Sacred Valley. Monthly departures year-round are $1,820 per person (double) for most land arrangements. For details please see www.planeterra.org/pages/voluntours/18.php?id=14 A meeting between Planeterra's Latin America Project Manager, a local engineer, and the community's health committee preceded the project launch. A recent field trip brought 18 men and women to visit the Huallyabamba community, which has already begun using the adobe stoves. Experiences were shared, and the people of Ccaccollo had an opportunity to see the stoves in use. The first demonstration stoves will be built in Ccaccaccollo in early August. Workshops will then train 10 community members who will have the responsibility of overseeing construction and implementation with the help of Planeterra and Gap Adventures volunteers. Members of the health committee will act as representatives of the program and will help educate families and our volunteers on the benefits of these stoves. Planeterra Foundation is a global non-profit dedicated to sustainable community development through travel. It was founded in 2003 by Gap Adventures, the largest independent adventure travel company in the world. Edwards is also a member of Gap Adventures' executive management team, where he helps oversee the company's rapid growth. Planeterra evolved out of a long history of travelers committed to finding ways to give back to the people and places they visit. Planeterra selects the projects and works with Gap Adventures to arrange voluntour travel programs. For information on Planeterra's year-round voluntour programs please go to www.planeterra.org or call 416-260-0999.
