This August, I spent two weeks in Peru, and I didn’t see Machu Picchu. Rather, I stayed in the capital, Lima, for a specific purpose: I was going to volunteer at Centro Ann Sullivan Del Perú (CASP).

CASP is an organisation that focuses on helping individuals (from young children to adults) with developmental disabilities such as autism and Down syndrome. University of Kentucky graduate Liliana Mayo, PhD, founded the non-profit in her parents’ garage in 1979, and it has now grown to more than 60 specialists with an incredible headquarters in Lima.

The CASP philosophy has ten basic principles that govern how the centre operates, including “We must focus on abilities and not on disabilities.”

Through virtual and in-person lessons with families, the centre teaches using two major principles: el poder de dos (the power of two) and “30%, 70%”. The first principle signifies that the family and the centre have to work together to help the students. The second shows that this relationship must be 30% the work of the student and 70% the work of the family.

Since the students don’t live in the centre and some live hours away, most spend at least 70% of their time at home. This means that the families must learn how to work with their children so that they can improve over time.

On my first day at CASP, I was a little nervous. I’ve worked with people with developmental disabilities, and have communicated with them only through Spanish, but CASP seemed like such a structured organisation that I became overwhelmed. I didn’t know where I could help out or what they expected me to do.

This feeling quickly changed, as within my very first hour, I was invited to a boy’s birthday party that was being held at CASP.

After eating brownies and creampuffs on the dance floor, I was given a party gift: a bag full of Peruvian chocolates and wafers. From this moment, I felt at home.

In the following days, I visited the TGI Fridays restaurant where some students of CASP have jobs cleaning the tables before the restaurant opens, and I was able to see the culmination of hours upon hours of hard work. CASP uses its kitchen and laundry facilities to set up real-world scenarios where students can learn how to cook and clean, and develop other important life skills. Giving the students this training allows them to be more self-sufficient and, hopefully one day, use their skills to get a job.

I’ve already mentioned two parties, so you probably get a sense of the immense joy at CASP. However, nothing compares to the 46th anniversary passacalle (parade). For my entire two weeks at CASP, I had heard every day about the upcoming passacalle that was going to happen, but I was quite confused. While I even helped prepare for it by making costumes, I could never have imagined the scale of it.

Hundreds of students and their loved ones flooded the streets, holding banners and balloons while wearing elaborate costumes. We walked alongside several marching bands, and everyone was cheering and smiling. People came to the front of their homes and stood on their porches to video and cheer. It all felt like a wonderful dream where everyone was perfectly happy.

My experience at CASP working with people with developmental disabilities and alongside amazing instructors taught me many lessons beyond just improving my Spanish. CASP’s mission, clear through their students and instructors, showed me the importance of having dedication towards a specific goal. Whether it be helping those around you, giving them a hug or a smile, or just cheering others as they parade around the city, you can always make a difference.