How Ayni Started…

“Ayni has existed on a shoestring budget for 8 consecutive years now. We have made miracles from pennies, and we get paid in smiles. Ayni has opened the doors to Alto de Los Mores to more than 150 volunteers from around the world. “

Margie Orsi, a high school teacher from Markham, Ontario, Canada, founded Ayni in 2001. “I always wanted to do Humanitarian Work, but initially I found it extremely difficult to find suitable volunteer positions. Either I had to be fluent in Spanish, or dedicate 2 solid years, or I had to pay an enormous fee to dedicate my time, or I had to fundraise, or go through a lengthy selection process or volunteer positions were highly evangelical. None of these conditions seemed to suit me.”

“So long story short, I took a leave of absence from teaching, and ended up in Peru with my back pack on my back, not speaking a word of Spanish and not knowing what I would end up doing. Fate led me to a small village in the coastal desert of Piura, Peru.” What started out as my own individual attempt at impacting positive change in one part of the planet, quickly turned into an organized group effort of dedicated volunteers from around the Globe.

I intended to stay only 6 months and here I am 8 years later, continuing to work in this community with a network of volunteers, and a handful of donators.

Ayni’s Mission & Objectives….

“Though I started out teaching English to an entire elementary school of 250 kids, things quickly evolved into so much more.” Now Ayni focuses on Development and Education. Ayni; which means “today for you, tomorrow for me,” is based on the idea of reciprocity, and having a sense of responsibility for each other. Our small grassroots organization works together with the community of Alto de los More to alleviate or address some of the major barriers of living in extreme poverty. Our role is multifaceted and continues to grow within the community.

In short, Ayni attempts to enrich the child’s experience by providing opportunities to learn, play and have fun. We continue to teach ESL, offer Sports & Recreational Programs, and ultimately develop lasting and impactive relationships with the children. Our volunteers are like “Camp Counsellors,” for the economically impoverished child. This interaction is mutually beneficial, and the children’s smiles are absolutely contagious. Volunteers and children alike find it VERY rewarding. We also support further education by providing scholarships for high school and post secondary students. (For full details go to our website)

Apart from having an Educational focus, Ayni also undertaken several small scale development projects. Our aim is to work with the families, especially the mothers, to improve their quality of life, in the short and long term. Our development projects include; Mud Brick Stoves with Chimneys, a 350 Fruit Tree Orchard, Micro-Credit Loans, Tree Planting, Vegetable Garden and a Mothers Club. (For more details go to our website)