Volunteer experience in Yanapanakusun
Sofía Giunta
There are not enough words to express how meaningful the experience with the Yanapanakusun Center was for me. I moved to Peru without being conditioned by any particular expectations, without knowing how my career as a volunteer would end. And yet, even now, when I remember the days I spent within the walls of YANA, the experiences I shared and the many aspects of Peruvian culture that I was able to delve into, powerful emotions invade me.
The month I spent in Cusco, learning about the reality of Casa CAITH, and delving deeper into the “Zero Waste” project, transported me to a country that today I can call my home. A place where differences in language, diet, age or life history were not relevant. A place where everything could be learned, shared, come to life, without any type of prejudice.
Meeting the girls from CAITH, and those who take care of their project every day, had a strong impact on my ability to observe and understand what happens in Peru, not with the gaze of a tourist, not with a perhaps superficial approach, but by immersing myself in the doubts, difficulties and hopes of those who certainly had a different life path than mine. It is thanks to Sarita, Maricielo, Marina, Juanita and all the others, for example, that I discovered Quechua, that I was able to understand the Peruvian school system, that I understood the dimension of change that an NGO like Yanapanakusun can bring.
The constant contact with the YANA staff, the conversations at the kitchen table and the sharing of each of the meals made me see all the love and dedication that can be incorporated into such a diverse universe. Despite not speaking the same language and knowing each other for such a short time, it was incredible and overwhelming to create a special bond with each of the people I met, it was a natural relationship.
On the other hand, being able to transfer a part of my knowledge as a student and worker, and put it at the service of Yanapanakusun, made me reflect on how much we can constantly build and contribute: through occasional contact on the other side of the world, financing the Houses of Culture, continuing to raise specific funds and organizing more visits by international volunteers.
There is still a lot of work to be done on all the issues it deals with. Yanapanakusun. But I hope that this unforgettable trip, and all the emotions that I accumulated during my visit, can continue to give me the right enthusiasm to be able to communicate what is immensely necessary, even from Italy.
By: Sofia Giunta
