CMMB is an international NGO providing long-term, co-operative medical and development aid to communities affected by poverty and unequal access to healthcare. For over a century, CMMB has worked to strengthen and support communities through healthcare programs and initiatives, the distribution of medicines and medical supplies, and the placement of volunteers.

CMMB’s Volunteer Program addresses the critical need for professionals in areas that lack sufficient resources for quality preventive and curative health services, especially for women and children. Our Volunteer Program has placed thousands of practitioners around the world to help develop and implement community health interventions, work at local hospitals and health facilities, conduct clinical training for host country counterparts, and deliver essential medicines and supplies. The ultimate goal of CMMB's Volunteer Program is to support our country teams and local healthcare workers by sending volunteers that are dedicated to strengthening local health systems and supporting a pattern of sustainable development.

We believe in a world in which health and human dignity are shared by all.

We believe that access to quality healthcare is a basic human right. For more than 100 years, we have worked with global partners to deliver locally sustainable, quality healthcare solutions to women, children, and their communities. We’re ready to make it 100 more.

We believe change starts with her.

We work tirelessly for women’s and children’s health because they are disproportionately affected by illness and poverty. We know that healthy, educated, and empowered women are better able to raise healthy, educated, and confident children, and that communities depend on their livelihoods.

We believe in people.

We strive to live out our core values of collaboration, love, excellence, and respect every day. We provide our volunteers with a meaningful volunteer package, and the opportunities to learn, grow, and leave a longstanding legacy. We especially encourage all persons of diverse backgrounds to apply.

In 2018, CMMB:

• Assisted 74, 240 pregnant women
• Provided critical health and social services to 1,536,844 people
• Provided HIV services to 889, 155 people
• Provided critical health services to 206, 840 children
• Delivered medicines & medical supplies valued at $598 million to 34 countries

In 2018, CMMB Volunteer Program:

• Engaged 661 volunteers working in 17 countries
• Volunteers contributed 92,920 hours

About Peru

Peru’s recent economic growth hides unjust social inequalities. Development has by‐passed the remote rural regions and chronic malnutrition among children is common. These factors are driven by food insecurities, poverty and inaccessibility to health services. CMMB Peru’s project activities are committed to further reducing malnutrition, anemia, and other determinants of maternal and child morbidity.

CMMB Peru health projects focus on improving the health and nutrition of women, children, and their communities in underserved and marginalized areas including:

• Distrito Macate, Provincia del Santa, Region Ancash
• Distrito de Chilca, Provincia de Huancayo, Region Junín
• Distrito La Esperanza, Provincia de Trujillo, Region La Libertad

The CHAMPS model, a strategic initiative, is utilized to meet this goal. This model is composed of three main objectives:

• Improving quality and access to healthcare
• Improving health conditions: water, sanitation, and nutrition
• Promoting economic development

CMMB Peru meets these objectives through the implementation of different projects and activities, including:

• The First 1,000 Days Project
• Health and nutrition for children under five, and pregnant women
• WASH - water, sanitation and hygiene
• Animal husbandry programs to promote economic self-sufficiency
• Support from Bon Secour Sisters and domestic and international volunteers
• Rehabilitation for children with disabilities

The First 1000 Days Project trains health professionals and community health workers, advises parents on child and family health and nutrition, promotes safe water and sanitation practices, and provides nutritional supplementation to underweight and malnourished children. The project also supports and addresses barriers to economic self‐sufficiency through animal husbandry projects using locally appropriate livestock including guinea pigs, ducks, and quail eggs.

CHAMPS Peru complements existing community-based programs designed to improve maternal and child health. The initiative will expand on and diversify existing interventions to focus on integrated management of neonatal and child illnesses and prevention and screening for cervical cancer and diabetes, with greater coordination among local social actors.

Key Facts

• Population : 32 million (Source: UN, 2015)
• Life Expectancy : 75 (Source: UN, 2010-2015)
• Maternal Mortality Rate : 68 per 100,000 (100th in the world) (Source: WHO, 2015)
• Under-5 Mortality Rate : 15 per 1,000 (96th in the world) (Source: UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation, 2015)

CMMB is seeking nurses, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, and midwives, 21 years of age and over, who can serve for a minimum of six months.

Nursing specialties most needed:

• Midwives/labor and delivery
• Pediatric and neonatal
• Primary care and family practice
• MCH and OB/GYN
• Surgical
• Community health
• Nurse educators
• Emergency/trauma
• Nutrition
• HIV and TB
• Nurse Anesthetist

Roles and Responsibilities

Our nurse volunteers serve in a variety of roles depending on local need. These may include:

• Consulting and coordinating with health care team members to assess, plan, implement and evaluate patient care plans
• Providing clinical capacity building and health education to local staff and community health workers,
• Operating primary care clinics such as HIV/TB clinics, MCH, and Pediatrics.
• Conducting home visits and community outreach programs
• Improving operation capacity through developing and implementing protocols and practice guidelines

Covid-19 Update: Due to Covid-19, CMMB has paused all field deployments until early 2021 as the countries we serve respond to this pandemic, and we are able to ensure the health and safety of our incoming field volunteers. Nonetheless, our commitment to support these communities remains, and we are eagerly waiting to be able to assist with the aftermath of this crisis when international travel is possible and safe. For more information please visit:

https://cmmb.org/get-involved/volunteer/covid-19-resources/