Life for women and children in Perú is harsh and oftentimes they can barely afford daily expenses, so it is common for them to accept basic and or unhealthy living conditions such as open cooking fires, cold water showers or non, rubbish and living quarters left in bad condition for long periods of time. This is also reflected into the communal areas such as schools, churches, clinics and common facilities. Even though 60% of the houses are built in the traditional low cost adobe or tapial methods, maintenance budgets for these structures is rarely considered as a priority.

This is where we saw a way to help!
By providing materials and helping them to repair, renovate or build their traditional Tapial mud homes or communal facilities, and using the donated labour from our participants, we are able to assist the community to achieve this aim.

With renovated Tapial homes and training they’ll be able to offer accommodation to rural tourists, allowing them to generate an income. At the same time, we provide an opportunity for you to engage with the community and learn more about them firsthand, as you complete these construction tasks. It is a mutually beneficial exchange!!

In addition, our program aims to revive tradition of the mud homes and to spread awareness of its benefits. Besides it’s unique look and feel, mud houses preserve warmth and cooling much better than much of its modern counterpart (concrete buildings) and it is actually a much better fit for the Peruvian weather.

Adobe structures are generally self-made through simple construction practices that do not require as much work. Skilled technicians (e.g. engineers and architects) are not required, hence it is described as “non-engineered construction”. Your efforts will improve family homes, community halls and will help to create the first English as Second Language School for the community children.

May to October
Participants may be engaged in segments or the mud house construction process in its entirety, depending upon the length of program service.

Under the supervision of the “maestro de obra” and local workers you will be “hands on” helping in activities such as:

• Tracing the building lines in the property
• Helping setting up the foundations
• Digging on soil to mark fundations
• Setting up of the first wooden clamps/mold frames
• Mud filling and compacting of soil/mud into clamps/mold frames
• Uncovering/unmolding clamp/mold frames

Participants will also be taught the ancient techniques of wall finishing with no paint. Instead they will be shown the process of using mud fine granite.

November to April
This is the rainy season, which means that you’ll likely be taking part in activities to help this program through light restoration and indoor construction in the communal areas, such as schools, churches, health care facilities and community centers, as well.