The Integration of Co-op Programs into International NGO Work

The use of international projects as Service Learning opportunities is not new.Doing cooperative education programs in foreign countries is not new.Using existing Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) as the catalyst and launching pad for Service Learning Projects is also not new.Putting them all together in one place, along with a contingent of students from several colleges and universities at the same time, is much less the norm.This paper describes several projects undertaken in two visits to a rural community in the rain forest of the southern Amazonas Department (state) of north central Peru.The community is Chirimoto; a small town devastated by floods in 1979 from which it is only now beginning to recover.Electric power, for example, which was destroyed in 1979, was finally restored in May of 2009, and then only marginally.Projects discussed include an Engineers Without Borders Assessment trip in January of 2008, a second EWB assessment trip in June of 2009, and an Economic Development Planning trip, combined with water and wastewater management planning and the architectural design of renovations to a community and cultural center are described in the paper.Many lessons learned that should have been more obvious, but which were revelations when encountered, are also discussed, along with the outcomes for students, faculty, the NGO and the community.