In this week’s blog, Julie Neisch tells us how she became HOOP’s new Volunteer Coordinator, and why it’s such an awesome job. I came to Arequipa in November, one month into a 6-month trip around South America. I was immediately drawn to the beauty of the city, the historic white center, the surrounding volcanoes, and … Continue reading Introducing our new volunteer coordinator
The story of urban migration in Peru
Most of the HOOP families live in Flora Tristán, a type of community also often defined as an informal settlement, asentamiento humano or pueblo joven. The stories of our families, among many more, are often the stories of migrating to urban areas in the prospect of a better life. In this blog Richie Dean, currently studying a … Continue reading The story of urban migration in Peru
Busy like bees: What it’s like to be a social work intern at HOOP
When I enter the HOOP office at 10am, HOOP’s social worker Silvia Mattiuzzi is already buzzing around. She did five phone calls and arranged three meetings. “So we’re gonna meet the mayor of the municipality to talk about the stray dog problem in Flora Tristán, later we’ll see the psychologist who is working with one … Continue reading Busy like bees: What it’s like to be a social work intern at HOOP
How I died and then hula-hooped on a volcano
It was day one of the record attempt, and our four-wheel-drive car approached the final hill between us and the start of the Chachani hike. When we were within sight of our drop zone, on a steep section of the dusty track, our vehicle had had enough. After three hours of being tossed like a … Continue reading How I died and then hula-hooped on a volcano
Volunteering: What does it mean?
As today is International Volunteer Day 2015, we decided to ask a couple of our volunteers what volunteering means to them. Join us in celebrating the incredibly important work volunteers do on local, national and international levels. Michelle Cartier-Archambault: “Everyone has their own reasons to volunteer, but when money is not involved and you’re willing to give … Continue reading Volunteering: What does it mean?
Ending violence against women
Wednesday the 25th of November, several volunteers, the HOOP moms and I took to the streets of Arequipa to participate in the march encouraging the elimination of violence against women. With the sun shining bright, marching bands and banners, hundreds of women raised their voices about a cause so close to their hearts. The date … Continue reading Ending violence against women