A group of students spent 10 days in Peru volunteering at a women's shelter.
It was the best of both worlds, decided Todd Degnan ’11 (Mechanicville, NY). The service learning trip to Peru would give him the opportunity to see another part of the world and help people at the same time. After 10 days of volunteering at a shelter for women, Degnan says the excursion was even more meaningful than he could have ever imagined.
“This was really an amazing trip,” says Todd Degnan ’11 (Mechanicville, NY). “No matter how good we have it, there are always opportunities to help others in need.”
At the shelter Degnan and his 11 classmates interacted with the children learned about the hardships of their mothers. The students also raised more than $1,000, donated 560 pounds of clothes and toys, and helped paint the shelter’s dining room.
One of the most poignant moments came on the first day volunteering at Casa de Mantay, when the director spoke passionately about the complicated and sad situations of the mothers at the shelter.
“Personally I was suppressing tears, and I know her words inspired and motivated our group to give all that we could during our short time volunteering at the shelter,” says Katie Gorham, ’10 (Perry Hall, MD), who was part of a group of three students from Bryant’s chapter of Amnesty International that organized the trip.
The Bryant group in Peru at Machu Picchu, an ancient site of the Incan Empire.
Gorham, who also volunteered last summer at an orphanage in Kenya, says one of the most satisfying parts of the trip was assembling a team of students who were passionate about making a difference.
“We all complemented one another,” she says. “We developed some great relationships and we able to achieve a lot in ten days.”
A lasting impression
One of the students, Ronnie Blanchard ’12 (Bristol, RI), knew firsthand the impact the trip to Peru would have. The Peruvian descendent visited Lima last April to volunteer in the poor, rural part of the capital city. As expected, the trip left quite an impression.
“I will most remember the looks on the children’s faces,” he says. “Some were clean and others were covered in soot, but all were happy,” he says.
Adds Kevin Concannon ’10 (Beverly, MA) “It was amazing to me how much they had been through yet they were still smiling and pushing on.”
Bryant students in Peru volunteering at Casa de Mantay.
In addition to volunteering, the students learned firsthand about the volatility of a developing country when their work was disrupted for one day when the city was shut down by rioting.
“The trip takes them to a whole different level and brings challenges that they likely have not encountered,” says Patricia Gomez, a lecturer of modern languages who accompanied the students to Peru along with Associate Professor of Modern Languages Tony Houston. “This was definitely an experiential learning opportunity that can’t be replicated in the classroom.”
A lasting impression
