Volunteer
Cusco, PE | build abroad
Working with Build Abroad in Peru was an opportunity to step outside my traditional practice in local midwest communities. As a way to give back, the experience provided the chance to volunteer in construction for several weeks in Cusco. The volunteer work included building new classrooms for a school in Asic Tica Tica, about 30mins by bus from the city center. The community school is a three-story structure with a brick façade. Daily work included painting, plastering, brickwork, setting masonry and purchasing supplies. Some buildings still utilize mud-brick construction, which is not beneficial in these seismic areas, and it was eye opening to see the remains of buildings from previous earthquakes. I came to understand how to design and build in Peru, and I am forever grateful for the opportunity I had to learn from the city and its people.
