Wednesday 08 September 2010
Peru’s Challenge is very excited to announce that it has won ‘Highly Commended’ in the ‘Best Volunteer Organisation’ category of the Virgin Holidays Responsible Tourism The Responsible Tourism Awards are the most competitive and prestigious awards of their kind in the world. Peru’s Challenge was founded in 2003, by Jane Gavel from Australia and Selvy Ugaz from Peru (when they were only 23 years old), with the primary aim of working with rural indigenous communities near Cusco, Peru to alleviate the acute poverty in these communities. The organisation works in partnership with local residents developing functional and sustainable schools and communities with a particular focus on education, health and general well being.some of the organisation’s achievements include: hosting over 600 volunteers from around the world, constructing four schools in four rural communities and making a difference to lives of over 2,000 community members. In its history, Peru’s Challenge has been recognised as one of the top five volunteer experiences in the world by Lonely Planet and the Peruvian Minister for Education believes that the Peru’s Challenge model of developing sustainable schools and communities should be the adopted standard for all Non-Government Organisations (NGO’s) working in Peru.
Jane Gavel, President and Co-Founder of Peru’s Challenge, said, “Peru’s Challenge is very proud to receive Highly Commended for Best Volunteering Organisation in the Virgin Responsible Tourism Awards. It is a fantastic achievement for us especially given the size of our organisation and that we have been operating for only six years. “The Peru’s Challenge team is a small group of very dedicated individuals who work tirelessly towards improving the living standards of those rural indigenous communities in Peru living in acute poverty. To be recognised in this way, firstly short listed in not one but two Award categories [Best for Poverty Reduction and Best Volunteering Organisation], and then receiving Highly Commended for Best Volunteering Organisation against more than 580 international organisations is a true testament to our work,” continued Jane Gavel.
the Virgin Holidays Responsible Tourism Awards aim to celebrate those individuals, companies and organisations in the travel industry that are making a significant commitment to the culture and economies of local communities and are providing a positive contribution to biodiversity conservation.
