About us

The Peru's Challenge Program works with volunteers to create opportunities for children living in the Andes of Peru in South America.

The Program was started by Jane Gavel (Australian) and Selvy Ugaz (Peruvian) when they were just 24 years old.

Since October 2003, when the volunteer program started, they have helped more than 1,000 families and started to educate over 500 children in four different communities.

The Peru's Challenge Program supports local Peruvian charity Reto Peru (meaning Peru's Challenge) and is not affiliated with any other organisation. It is purely managed by Jane and Selvy from Peru.

For details on Reto Peru projects, please click here.

Our aims

1. To create basic opportunities for the children of Peru:

• Education
• Health
• Happy and safe environment

   

Before starting any project, we have lengthy discussions with all members of the community to ascertain what it is that they want and require for their children and how we can work closely together.

It is very important the community feels that we are working as a team. Constantly through the project development, we involve the community in all decisions and plans. This way, they learn to continue the great work that we have done together and become self-sustaining with the support of the relationship built with the Department of Education for years to come.

2. To provide an exceptional travel and volunteer experience.

Peru's Challenge is also very committed to providing an exceptional volunteer travel experience to all of our participating volunteers.

Our volunteers are the life-blood of the organisation. It is their invaluable assistance that makes our job of assisting local Peruvian communities possible.

Being part of the Peru's Challenge volunteer team is about realising how easy it is to give Peruvian children more opportunities, while travelling and enjoying the absolute beauty of Peru, and making friendships with other volunteers from around the world.
 

WHO WE ARE

Jane Gavel, Founder

jane@peruschallenge.com

Throughout 2002, Jane travelled extensively in Mexico, Central America and South America. Basing herself in Cuzco, Peru for eight months Jane completed a Spanish language course and taught English to local students.

It was here she confirmed an interest in establishing a not-for-profit organisation to help children in the rural communities of Peru and started working with a volunteer organisation assisting children with special mental and physical needs.

Prior to Jane's time in Peru, she worked in the marketing communications industry in Australia for over six years after completing a Bachelor of Communications with marketing and public relations majors at the University of Canberra.

Jane now divides her time between Peru and Australia.

Selvy Ugaz, Co-Founder

selvy@peruschallenge.com

Born in Lima, the capital of Peru, Selvy has spent the last six years assisting underprivileged children in Lima and Cuzco.

In 2000, Selvy helped register a Peruvian charity in Urubamba to assist children with special mental and physical needs. Organising for land to be donated, the organisation built the first school of its kind with the sole purpose of giving children the love and education they deserved.

Prior to 2000, Selvy completed a business and banking administration course and then lived and worked in England and Mexico. He completed a number of English language courses, and now speaks English fluently.

Pip Wheeler, Volunteer Manager
volunteer@peruschallenge.com

Pip volunteered with Peru’s Challenge in May 2008 and returned to work with us at the start of November 2009. She is a journalist by trade, but has most recently been working in the communications department of a New South Wales state-owned corporation.

Keen to offer as much help as possible she is enjoying getting to know the current volunteers and reacquainting herself with the people of Pumamarca.

Liza Price, Sponsorship Manager
sponsorship@peruschallenge.com

Liza fell in love with Cuzco and Peru whilst volunteering with Peru’s Challenge in September 2009 and vowed to return…one day.  Luckily that day came earlier than expected.  Here, at Peru’s Challenge Liza is our Sponsorship Manager where she works with our tour company partners and international groups to enlist ongoing support for the work we do with communities. She also works closely with our volunteers and their contacts to encourage long-term support.

At home in Australia, Liza worked with Local Government and Community to improve the level of sustainability and commitment to the environment.  Over the past couple of years she has combined community development into her work with the environment.  These skills are coming in very handy here with Peru’s Challenge.

Laura Brown, Events Manager
laura@frolicevents.com.au

Santusa, 'Mother Hen' of our volunteer houses

Santusa has been working with Peru's Challenge since the volunteer program started in October 2003. Santusa comes to cook a great lunch for the volunteers, and she cleans the houses twice a week with great care. She is like a second mother to all of our volunteers and has a smile that brightens your day--especially when her famous cakes are involved.

Nico, Accountant

After studying accounting at a university in Cuzco for three years, Nico joined Peru’s Challenge to help us with our facts and figures in 2008. He handles all our financial needs and goes above and beyond his duties everyday by helping with any issue that arises—money-related or not.

Nico loves practicing his English with our volunteers and is always eager to assist our English-speaking staff with their Spanish. We often get visits from his beautiful 2 ½ year-old daughter, Nani. Nico’s sense of humor keeps us laughing and his love of salsa keeps us dancing.

Memo, Maintenance Manager

Memo has worked with Peru’s Challenge since 2008 handling all maintenance and emergencies. He is a true life-saver when it comes to fixing anything and is graciously available 24/7. He also organizes and purchases any materials needed at the schools.

Memo’s English might be limited, but if you know the words to any English 80s songs or lines from American movies, your conversation will not be lacking--you’re set for hours.

Friends of Peru's Challenge

Spending time with Peru's Challenge enriches the lives of every one of our volunteers. It is an experience that they feel very proud of and remember for a lifetime.

Each of our volunteers is positively affected by the kids and families they work with and leave our placements knowing that they have made an invaluable difference.

For this reason, past volunteers have started up "Friends of Peru's Challenge". They work together to give updates about our successes and organise fundraising opportunities for the Peruvian children.

They are also available to answer any questions you may have about volunteering with Peru's Challenge.

Please send an email to Friends of Peru's Challenge.

Who is helping now?

Peru's Challenge would like to give a big thank you to the following people and organisations for all their help:

On this page you will find information on:

• Our Aims
• Who we are
• Friends of Peru's Challenge
• Who is helping now

Selvy and Jane with kids at Huandar.

Final day at school for Grades 1/2.

Kids waiting for breakfast.

Volunteers enjoying the Inca Trail.

Jane at the traditional dance competition

Selvy with the Pumamarca football team

Pip Wheeler

Liza Price

Santusa cooking up a storm!

Happy Birthday, Nico!