My name is Anna Babb and I went down to Peru for the last 2 weeks in June to volunteer with 33 Buckets. I had heard about 33 Buckets through a family member involved in the organization who is passionate about the project. I love the opportunity to help people in many ways and working with 33 Buckets sounded like an adventurous opportunity to explore a new part of the world as well as offer help to some of the people living there.

Getting to Cusco was quite easy and although there were a couple of layovers, none of the flights were painfully long. The journey is worth it. The city is so vibrant and lively; new sights, sounds, and smells everywhere. I also happened to be there during Inti Raymi which was the most important festival for the Incan Empire, still honored in the city of Cusco. Because it was festival season, the city was in a constant celebratory buzz. Parades of people wearing colorful traditional clothing and doing traditional dances from their communities, the sound of beating drums and enchanting flutes filling the air… it was truly a beautiful sight to behold.

Adding to the beauty of it all was meeting the 33 Buckets team. They were all immediately so welcoming and such easy going but incredibly driven people. The passion they have for the work they do is apparent. I felt very inspired by them and the way they are dedicated to their role in the program and to embracing the whole experience.

My favorite part of being in Peru with 33 Buckets was getting to go to the communities around Cusco that the team has been working in. It was amazing to not only see the physical work the team has put towards projects, but to also see the connections and relationships they have built through their work.

While in Totora, we were able to see the water system the team has been using. We were informed about how the system works and how they test for proper chlorination and adjust as necessary. We also got to see an up-and-coming aquaculture project that 33 Buckets has been involved in and even visited the school in the village to talk to kids about the importance of clean water. Through all this, we were accompanied by a local of the village, Senor Leo, who has been heavily involved with the team and making it all happen. He made us feel very welcome and even took us to a spring high up in the mountains above Totora. It felt very special to be shown the area by someone so connected with the land.

A few days later we went to Mollepata where we had a meeting with a water management official in the village to discuss how 33 Buckets can help with any concerns the village has in relation to their current water systems. We had a lovely local connection there too, Claudia. She was also very welcoming and even invited us to have a home cooked meal with her and her family one afternoon. It was incredible to see how 33 Buckets both builds a new connection and maintains an established one.

I highly recommend taking the opportunity to volunteer in Peru with 33 Buckets. It was such a valuable and unique experience. The team is inspiring and fun to be around, the work is fascinating and impactful, and the environment is exotic and breath-taking. To top that, it was so fulfilling to be involved with a project that makes a positive difference for fellow human beings. I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to have such an experience.