I worked with Makikita in May 2008 as a Volunteer Pharmacist in the Esperanza Medical Centre. This was my first time working  as a volunteer. My Spanish was very limited and I undertook Spanish lessons while with Makikita which were very helpful. Notwithstanding, the time was extremely well spent and the experience of working in this environment, totally different from Australia, was remarkable. All people associated with Makikita and the Medical Centre were helpful, warm, caring people who would do anything for you to make stay enjoyable.

 The patients attending Esperanza Medical Centre are extremely poor and grateful for whatever assistance can be provided to them. The technical demands of the work are not high and are focusssed on paediatrics and obstetrics. The pharmacists role is very much one in direct contact with the patients supplying medication and drug usage information, but also includes wound dressing and giving injectable medications.

Julianna from Makikita has facilitated everything from the basics of using public transport to planning trips on weekends to experience what  Huancayo has to offer. I am very grateful to Julianna and Makikita for providing a wonderful opportunity to contribute as a volunteer.

Chris Farquhar, Australia

I spent a wonderful 12 weeks with Makikita in Huancayo. During this time i worked with several different projects, firstly the Street Labour Project, spending 3 hours in the afternoon helping with homework and organising activities, with kids that i cannot forget, so funny and full of life. Secondly i worked in the Orphanage close to the residence, teaching two of the small children the alphabet and basic number skills as they were illiterate, i believe this was the most meaningful work i did and i enjoyed it so much i have decided to train to be a teacher. I also worked with the Makikita Community Centre, what a wonderful place we opened, for wonderful children, i had the most fun, and lifechanging moments with Makikita than ever, and im truly grateful to Juliana and her family for making it very special. I hope to return one day and see my kids all grown up.

katieannstott@googlemail.com

Katie Stott, England

I had a wonderful experience volunteering for Makikita Quykuway. I was able to work in a medical center located in a very poor area of Huancayo. The staff there are great people. I was allowed to watch and help in every area  (medicine, obstetrics, pediatrics, nursing and dental care) and the people in charge would always be explaining to me. I was taught how to give IM injections, auscultate lungs and stomachs, feel pregnant women's bellies for the embryo's position and check its heartbeat, evaluate small children's stage of developement and many other simpler nursing tasks. Due to the fact that I have no real experience in medicine, I only know that I will go to medical school after my trip, I am greatful to have been able to learn so many things about practical medicine and see what a peruvian health center is like. I spent my afternoons working in a street project for children who work in the main market of Huancayo. There I helped with homework and taught some English to the children. Everytime I would go home with a smile on my face, it's amazing how loving and grateful those children are!

I can only thank Juliana, the other volunteers and everybody helping with Makikita and recommend it to anybody looking for a life changing experience. I had a super-special time!

Claire Fritzsch, Germany

clf247@hotmail.com

I volunteered for Makikita Quykuway for 2 months in 2008 and during that time learnt so much about so many things!

I was given the opportunity to work in many different areas such as at a health centre, orphanege, street project and also community cetre. This variety enabled me to better understanding the comunity in which i was volunteering and therefore made me better equipped to suggest ideas and give help in different ways.

Traveling to another country to give your time to others is exciting, rewarding, and incredibly humbling. I recommend this organisation whole heartedly.

xxx Jess Kirwan xxx

kirwanjess@yahoo.com.au

Australia

I volunteered with Makikita last year over Christmas. I had a wonderful experience volunteering with the beautiful, loving children of Huancayo. There are several projects you can choose to work with and I found myself spending the afternoons with a group of children aged between 4-13. They are bright, happy kids who ask many questions and give you big hugs! Take with you photos of your hometown and kids' books and games if possible, but there's always new and creative ways to have fun, whether its football, the Hokey Hokey or clowning around....you don't even need to be great at the language, kids have their own wherever you go!
I stayed with Juliana in her spacious confortable home and found Juliana, Julia and Huancayo warm and inviting. I will return as soon as I can as those kids have a special place in my heart! Please email me if you would like more info...
 

kimrezel@hotmail.com

Kim Rezel, England

Volunteering with Makikita Quykuway is not just for young people. Older people have much to contribute. At age 59, I started my 3 months in Huncayo with some apprehension, even though I had experience in volunteering in other countries. My concerns disappeared when I received a wam welcome from Juliana, my host family and the other volunteers. I have worked mainly with special needs children and young people in the boys orphanage. Being an oldes  volunteer has it's advantages as the children relate to you in a different way. What you may lack in expertise on the soccer pitch, you make up for in life experience. I have been involved in a Christmas project in a poor comunity and have helped to develop the new Makikita Quykuway the comunity project. The work has been challenging, stimulating and rewarding. I started volunteering following my marriage break-up. It gave me a new direction in life and took me to Rusia, China and Romania and finally to Perú. My time with Makikita Quykuway has been the most interesting and rewarding of them all. Juliana understands the needs of her comunity and uses the skills of her volunteers effectively to the benefit of her community. My host family has welcome me into their home and their lives  including me in many family fiestas. The people of Huancayo are warm and friendly and enjoy meeting volunteers and involving them in their culture. The younger volunteers have been great fun to be with. Age has not been an issue, as our common purpose in volunteering spans any age difference. If you are an older person, with or without previous volunteering experience, and you have been considering volunteering with makikita Quykuway you have a lot to affer.  I feel sure the experience will be rewarding for you and the people you work with. Juliana and the people of Huancayo are waiting for you.

February 2008

Helen whitehead, England

If you want to contact me, aks my e-mail to Juliana.

 
What an amazing and fullfilling experience, aided by the wonderfull minds behind and fuelling this brilliant charity.Welcomed by a warm heart and large smile, with good motives and visions for a worth while cause Juliana the head of the project welcomed me into Makikita. Makikita offers a range of dirrections and sectors you can work in. I spent my time primarily working in an orphanage where I was teaching and enriching the childrens lifes with recreational activities, arts and crafts. I had structured lessons in the afternoons, and could visit the orphanage and street children projects when ever I wanted, bringing self initiated work, ideas ect. This charity really did give me the opportunities to intergrate and sample in a honest and raw manner these childrens and peoples lifes, aswell as teach and offer some skills. This experienced enriched even more by the wonderful people involved. I had the honoured opportunity of meeting some wonderful families,individuals, children and other volunteers. Also I got to sample and see parts of Peru, by travelling at weekends, This was such a memorable experience for me, Peru is a breathtakingly beautiful country full of wonderfully warm individuals. I hope to return to Makikitta.
 
Georgina Ridgley, England
Age 22

I volunteered for a month in September 2007 and it was a great experience. I have since worked in other voluntary projects in South America but I would recommend this as it´s such a personable organization. Juilana and her family make you feel so welcome, it´s like having a family in Peru. The kids were so much fun to work with, I missed them lots! I worked in the orphanage and with street kids and found it very rewarding. It´s so important for the children to have people to help them and care for them. I don´t think I´ll ever be satisfied with any other job in the future! I am truly sad to be leaving andreally hope that I will be back as soon as possible. Thank you so much Juilana for making this experience so memorable. Cuidate y escribeme! Suzanne Lagan.

zus_@hotmail.com

Ireland

I would whole-heartedly  recommend Makikita Quykuway to anyone interested in pursuing a valuable, hands-on volunteer work experience where you will make a real difference to lives of  the many poor children of Huancayo, Peru . There are no words to describe just how passionate I feel about this organisation, the people, the work they do and the goals they strive to achieve everyday. To me Makikita isn't just any charity, its like a family. After my travels I will look back on my experience and the amazing time I had working alongside Julianna and her co-workers with much fondness but also sadness that I´m no longer there. It truly has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life and one which I will never forget. Without a shadow of a doubt I will return here someday to help Julianna & Co. continue the truly heart warming story of Makikita Qukuway.

malone.niall@gmail.com

Home ph. no.- +35318211734 

Niall Malone, Ireland

Julianita linda!

Muchísimas gracias por todo

Eres una mujer muy especial

Con un corazón muy grande

Voy a volver bonita

Con mucho cariño

Grete Myklebust, Norway

Somahagen 5

4316 Sandnes

Norway

Tel: +4751662268

Cel: +4792663538

 Grete_m@hotmail.com