Peru 2022

The reed watercraft lining Huanchaco's beaches are known as "caballitos de tortora", or "little reed horses". They have been Huanchaco's identity and way of life for thousands of years.

Huanchaco's consistent, frequent breaks were just one of many reasons it was designated as Latin America's first World Surfing Reserve in 2013. The longest left-hand break in the world is just a few kilometers north.

Huanchaco's economy is based mostly around tourism, surviving on the throngs of visitors that visit its beaches. In recent decades, approximately 30 meters of beach have been covered with water from rising sea levels.

Surfers with modern surfboards waiting for some waves as a fisherman on a caballito, Huanchaco's first surf craft, takes a tourist for a short ride. Traditional fishing is extremely difficult today due to environmental changes and commercial fishing, so some fishermen supplement their income by taking tourists out on their caballitos.

Volunteers at Otra Cosa Network meet at the organization's office every Monday morning. Team members who lead various projects take turns going around the room, discussing last week's accomplishments, the current week's plans, and any other pressing challenges that their program is facing.

One of Otra Cosa Network's newer projects is a hydroponics garden in the community of Cerrito de la Virgen. Here, a volunteer prepares the materials for the garden. They will bring it to Cerrito the following week where the program's beneficiaries will be introduced to hydroponics and plant the first vegetables.

An Otra Cosa Network volunteer attempts a "proof of concept" for the new community hydroponics garden. When installed the following week, the garden will be used to provide nutrition for the community and a recurring source of income to sustain and expand the garden through sales at the market.

This is one of Otra Cosa Network's beneficiaries for the English program in the community of Cerrito de la Virgen. She'd like to go to university and study to become a shopping mall designer. This requires a knowledge of English, however. No one in her family speaks English, nor do any of her friends. Otra Cosa Network is currently her only opportunity in her community to learn English. She loves coming to the classes for the opportunity to speak English with the instructors and other students, and her favorite part is learning new words to use.

In addition to spoken English, Otra Cosa Network's English classes also help children understand written English. Many parents in the community cannot read or write even in Spanish; their children are learning how to do this in two languages.

In addition to spoken English, Otra Cosa Network's English classes also help children understand written English. Many parents in the community cannot read or write even in Spanish; their children are learning how to do this in two languages.

In addition to spoken English, Otra Cosa Network's English classes also help children understand written English. Many parents in the community cannot read or write even in Spanish; their children are learning how to do this in two languages.

Otra Cosa Network volunteers roam the small classroom to check their work during written assignments, and answer any questions that the children may have.

Otra Cosa Network volunteers roam the small classroom to check their work during written assignments, and answer any questions that the children may have.

One of Swim Tayka's advanced swimmers beginning laps in the breaststroke. She has been in these swim classes for five years now and has hopes of becoming a competitive swimmer one day.

Swim Tayka's advanced students can swim laps for hours, and they do. While the two groups of basic lessons take turns both in the water and classroom discussion, the advanced swimmers work on their endurance and technique.

After their classroom discussions, Swim Tayka students have an activity, puzzle, or game to complete to drive home that day's lesson. Topics include water safety and environmental stewardship.

For the final warmup, Brayan kicks a ball out into the ocean and the children race to be the first one to retrieve it.

Brayan taking the surf lesson's youngest student on an introductory wave ride.

Brayan taking the surf lesson's youngest student on an introductory wave ride.

Otra Cosa Network's surfing students taking to Huanchaco's infamous, and historic waves.

Otra Cosa Network's surfing students taking to Huanchaco's infamous, and historic waves.

Dream big - one of Otra Cosa Network's surf school beneficiaries can't wait to improve his surfing and ultimately become an instructor, the exact same path that his instructor took.

Otra Cosa Network volunteers get ready for the day's lesson. The lesson will focus on the life cycle of plants and how to care for them, which will end with the students assisting in planting the hydroponics garden.