Hello.  I am currently in my first year at the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign where I am an Animal Science major.  As long as I can remember, I have had a passion for helping animals and I have a strong commitment to working with them in underserved areas.  At UIUC, I participated in founding the student chapter of Volunteers Around the World. From their website - “Volunteers Around the World (VAW) is a humanitarian organization and social enterprise devoted to improving the standard of living for those that live in some of the most poverty stricken communities of the world. Our focus is to provide communities with access to medical, dental and veterinary treatment, medication, nutritional security, clean water and health education.”  My role on the student VAW chapter executive board has allowed me to play a part in making this trip happen and I am so excited to see this all come together. Our VAW veterinary focused trip to Peru would be the first for our UIUC students. This year, from June 10-26, I will be visiting Peru with our group and staying with host families in Cusco. Our UIUC student group will have the opportunity to work with animals and communities in need, including local shelters, and we even get to spend a day at a local school doing humane education.


Day 1-2: Travel to Peru

Day 3: Orientation

Day 4-5: Shelter Outreach

Day 6: Spay Clinic

Day 7-8: Machu Picchu

Day 9-10: Sanctuaries

Day 11-13: Community Outreach

Day 14: Education Day

Day 15: Free Day

Day 16-17: Travel home


Your donations will be going towards making our mission possible.  This includes: food, lodging, transportation in country, veterinarians, translators, medications, and air travel.


I will be sure to keep you all posted as the trip comes near and share pictures and stories upon my return. Thank you so much and thank you for helping us help the communities and the animals.  I hope you have a great year!


Alison Dalmasso

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s-ixROcS5J4