From July 8 to July 24, 2026, STBE students and faculty traveled to the Cusco region of Peru, heart of Incan culture. Partnering with the Canadian NGO – Light Up the World, they conducted a weeklong project to install solar plus battery storage in three rural Peruvian communities as well as a satellite internet at a community center.
These Quechua speaking communities of the high-altitude Andes are characterized by subsidence farming, raising potatoes along with livestock: alpaca, llamas, and sheep. Children walk over an hour to attend primary school. Their traditional homes are made from dry stacked stones and thatched roofs. There is no running water or access to the electrical grid. Life is challenging with the rugged terrain and thin air. There are few opportunities to get ahead financially. Having basic lighting as well as satellite communications stands to greatly change lives and improve the safety of the community.
Many of the students were profoundly affected by seeing this level of poverty firsthand. The team worked hard throughout the week, working together toward a common goal, and enjoyed an “inauguration” of the new system where community members received training to access the internet via their phones. An overwhelming feeling of joy came over the group during the celebration; “When you help someone less well off, you end up being joyful”– Archbishop Desmond Tutu.
STBE Peru Study Abroad 2026 thumb
STBE Peru Study Abroad 2026 thumb