Team Peru

Organizational Sustainability students working with AASD

December 16, 2011

This semester our group of four students from the Organizational Sustainability class is working with Team Peru and the Andean Alliance on an action research paper here at MIIS. Our group is a mix of MPA and IEP students: Lauren Marasco, Kathryn Harrison, Jamie Cook and Derek Polka. We met throughout the last few months with both Adam and Aaron, as well as Team Peru members and several MBA students to generate ideas for sustaining the Andean Alliance as it continues to build momentum here on campus and down in the Sacred Valley of Peru. After many long skype conversations (can you hear me now…?) and face time on campus, we looked at their programmatic model and revenue sources, brainstorming ways to diversify the groups funding opportunities and to develop a business model. (Time to start using all of those grant writing workshop skills!) We learned a lot about what we consider to be their keystone program: the building of high-elevation greenhouses along with health and nutrition programs. We are confident that the guys have a solid model that they can network to other NGOs operating within the Sacred Valley–and hopefully get paid for it!

It’s been a great experience for us both inside and out of the classroom and it’s also been exciting to see just how passionate MIIS students are about the entire Team Peru experience. We’ve learned that there are so many factors which contribute to an organizations’ ability to succeed, especially these days, and we applaud the guys for sticking to their values and entrenching themselves so deeply within the local communities instead of just attempting to grow themselves to monumental proportions. We truly believe that good things are happening down in Peru thanks to Adam and Aaron and are anxious to get down there ourselves. Wishing them much success in the future, and waiting for our personalized INKAcases to arrive!

Thanks guys!
Lauren, Kat, Jamie and Derek

Entry Filed under: BLOG,Immersive Education,Team Peru Reports. Posted in  BLOG ,Immersive Education ,Team Peru Reports Tags: Andean Alliance for sustainable development, Andes, immersive education, MIIS, Monterey Institute of International Studies, organizational sustainability, Peru, Team Peru.