What Otra Cosa Network does

Otra Cosa Network (OCN) is a UK-registered charity (No. 1133680) and Peruvian non-profit NGO (No. 11126841) operating since the mid-2000s in Huanchaco, La Libertad region of Northern Peru. The organization delivers a portfolio of five HELP (Huanchaco Education and Learning Programme) projects — HELP English, HELP Environment, HELP Literacy, HELP Youth, HELP Women — plus HELP Swim (drowning prevention) and a partner-delivered Global GLOW girls' empowerment program, all anchored at the Recreational and Educational Centre (REC) in the Cerrito de la Virgen informal settlement. Its beneficiaries are children aged 3–16 and women living in informal settlements where running water, sewage, and reliable electricity are scarce.

OCN's service model relies on international volunteers who contribute £10/day (inclusive of on-site accommodation at the volunteer house) and contribute 20–25 hours per week across educational, environmental, and youth activities. Programs are staffed by approximately three full-time Peru-based employees (Operations Manager and two Assistant Managers) with two part-time UK-based co-founder directors (Juany and Peter Murphy) handling UK finances, strategy, and trustee board oversight. There is no proprietary technology platform; operations are supported by a website, PayPal and Stripe payment processing, social media channels (Facebook, Instagram), and listings on third-party volunteer marketplaces (Volunteer World, Idealist, Erasmusintern).

Revenue is generated through a mix of paid volunteer contributions, one-time donations (Christmas appeal tiers from £5 to £1,000+), the OCN Amigo tiered monthly giving program (£3–£50/month), and grants from institutional funders including LitWorld (historically, for HELP Literacy) and, from 2025, the Princess Charlene of Monaco Foundation (for HELP Swim after the prior SwimTayka partnership ended in 2024). The organization is governed by a UK trustee board chaired by co-founder Peter Murphy, and reports no parent company, subsidiaries, or external investment ownership.

Name

Otra Cosa Network

Legal name

Otra Cosa Network

Website

https://otracosa.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2005

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Otra Cosa Network is a UK-registered charity and Peruvian NGO running five HELP education, environment, literacy, youth, and women's empowerment programs — plus drowning-prevention and girls' leadership initiatives — for children and women in Huanchaco's informal settlements, delivered through paid international volunteers and grant funding.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Non-profit Community Education and Development Services

NAICS

Educational Support Services (611710), Educational Services (611), Language Schools (611630)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Homeless, Foster Care & Highly Mobile Youth Education Services (EDAJAEAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Newcomer & Refugee Student Support Programs (EDAJAGAH), Specialized Intervention & Skill-Building Programs (Speech/OT Support Materials, Social Skills) (EDACAJAJ)

Keywords

• Community education programs
• Volunteer placement services
• Literacy and youth programs
• Women empowerment initiatives
• Environmental education projects

Headquarters

HQ city

Huanchaco, Las Libertad

HQ country

Peru

HQ region

Latin America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Volunteer Contributions: Volunteers pay a contribution fee starting from £10 per day which covers accommodation and supports OCN's work. This is a primary revenue stream that funds operating activities.
2. Individual Donations: One-time donations collected through PayPal and Stripe payment processing for specific projects and needs.
3. OCN Amigo Monthly Program: Monthly recurring donations from supporters ranging from £3 to £50+ per month, providing sustainable funding for educational programs.
4. Grants and Funding: Funding received from grant organizations such as LitWorld for literacy programs. Also benefits from support of foundations like Princess Charlene of Monaco Foundation.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Otra Cosa Network operates the HELP (Huanchaco Education and Learning Programme), a portfolio of five core educational programs—HELP English, HELP Environment, HELP Literacy, HELP Youth, HELP Women, and HELP Swim—delivered primarily through the Recreational and Educational Centre (REC) in the Cerrito de la Virgen informal settlement of Huanchaco, Northern Peru. The organization recruits international and local volunteers who contribute fees covering accommodation, and supplements these contributions with one-time and monthly donations from individual supporters and grants from partner foundations.

Product overview

Otra Cosa Network operates a portfolio of five interconnected HELP (Huanchaco Education and Learning Programme) core programs focused on education, environment, literacy, youth development, and women's empowerment. These programs are delivered primarily through the Recreational and Educational Centre (REC) in the Cerrito de la Virgen informal settlement. The organization complements its own programs with partner projects including Global GLOW, and offers volunteer placement services with on-site accommodation. Funding is supported through an OCN Amigo monthly giving program and one-time donations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• HELP (Huanchaco Education and Learning Programme): The HELP programs are OCN's own educational initiatives including HELP English, HELP Environment, HELP Literacy, HELP Youth, and HELP Women, focused on providing educational opportunities for children in Cerrito de la Virgen informal settlement.
• OCN Amigo
• Recreational and Educational Centre (REC)

Products and services

• HELP English English language education program providing listening, reading, comprehension, and writing lessons to children in Cerrito de la Virgen informal settlement, including partnerships with local schools for curriculum delivery. Designed for children aged 3-16 living in informal settlements in Huanchaco, Peru.
• HELP Environment Environmental education program teaching youth about conservation, beach cleanliness, and sustainable practices through the 'Yo Cuido Mi Playa' monthly beach clean campaign, community garden, and hydroponic garden activities. Targeted at youth in Huanchaco's informal settlements.
• HELP Literacy Literacy program featuring LitClubs for reading, writing, and storytelling, originally launched with funding from LitWorld, providing single-sex safe spaces for children aged 10-15 to build self-confidence through seven key strengths. Targeted at children in Cerrito de la Virgen and Las Lomas.
• HELP Youth Youth development program encompassing swimming, football, arts, crafts, skateboarding, and healthy lifestyle activities at the Recreational and Educational Centre in Cerrito de la Virgen, evolved from an initial skate ramp project. Targeted at children and youth in Huanchaco.
• HELP Women Women's empowerment project providing education and safe spaces for women in Huanchaco to develop skills, currently being restructured to better meet community needs. Targeted at women in the Huanchaco community.
• HELP Swim Drowning prevention and water stewardship program providing free swimming lessons and environmental education to underprivileged children ages 3-16, delivered in partnership with SwimTayka and Princess Charlene of Monaco Foundation.
• Global GLOW (Partner Program) Girls' empowerment and leadership program implemented in partnership with Global Girls Glow USA, running GLOW Club sessions in four communities serving nearly 150 young girls with mentors. Targeted at young girls in Cerrito, San Carlos, Lomas, and Camelias communities.
• Recreational and Educational Centre (REC) Community hub in Cerrito de la Virgen serving as the base for all HELP projects, providing educational workshops, youth activities, and safe space for children from informal settlements. Targeted at children and youth in Cerrito de la Virgen.
• Multi-Project Volunteer Placement Flexible volunteering program allowing participants to work across multiple projects including English teaching, environmental awareness, animal welfare, and youth development at the REC and partner locations. Targeted at international and local volunteers seeking flexible, cross-program experience.
• Volunteer House Accommodation On-site volunteer accommodation offering five rooms (en-suite, twin shared, and single options) with shared kitchen, garden, Wi-Fi, and laundry facilities for up to five volunteers. Targeted at international and local volunteers placed in Huanchaco.
• OCN Amigo Monthly Giving Program Monthly donor program offering tiered giving levels (£3-50/month) providing sustainable funding for water, school supplies, snacks, environmental materials, and swimming programs. Targeted at individual philanthropic supporters globally.

Quantifiable outcome

• 700+ volunteers recruited and placed since founding
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Global Girls Glow (Global GLOW)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGlobal Girls Glow is an American organization dedicated to empowering girls. They delegate implementation of their GLOW Club program to OCN in over 30 countries. OCN's local mentors have been running the program in 4 communities around Huanchaco (Cerrito, San Carlos, Lomas, Camelias) reaching approximately 150 young girls through a three-year program.
• SwimTaykacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSwimTayka collaborated with OCN from 2017-2024 to provide crucial drowning prevention education to children in Huanchaco. Through this partnership, more than 200 children participated in the swimming program. SwimTayka provided the SwimTayka curriculum and Emergency Action Plan.
• Colegio PitagorascoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOCN partners with Colegio Pitagoras, one of Huanchaco's biggest elementary and secondary schools, to support their English program. This partnership provides volunteers to deliver English education within the school curriculum.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Maximo Nivel: Latin America volunteer and education provider operating programs in Peru, Costa Rica, and Guatemala. Closely comparable to OCN in business model (fee-paying volunteers, educational placements, host-country NGO partnerships).
• SwimTayka: Direct partner of OCN; UK charity delivering swimming and water-safety programs to children in developing countries. Closely comparable as a child-focused, donor-funded education/drowning-prevention NGO.
• uVolunteer: Volunteer placement organization focused on Peru and Costa Rica, offering teaching and community project placements. Closely comparable in geographic focus, fee structure, and educational program mix.
• Global Volunteers: US-based nonprofit facilitating volunteer service in education, community development, and child-focused programs in Latin America and beyond. Comparable mission, fee structure, and program mix.
• LitWorld: US nonprofit running LitClubs for children worldwide and a direct OCN partner since 2013. Directly comparable literacy-education model and partnership-driven implementation approach.
• Global GLOW: US-based girls' empowerment organization that delegates GLOW Club implementation to local partners including OCN. Closely comparable girls' empowerment mission and field-implementation approach.

Broad incumbents

• AFS Intercultural Programs: Large international education and intercultural learning NGO with volunteer/exchange programs including Latin America. Comparable educational mission and global donor base, though much larger in scope and scale than OCN.
• Projects Abroad: Large global volunteer-placement operator with multi-country programs including teaching, community development, and childcare. Comparable fee-paying volunteer model and educational focus, though much larger in scale and geographic reach than OCN.
• IVHQ (International Volunteer HQ): World's largest volunteer-travel organization with programs across Latin America including Peru. Comparable volunteer-placement model targeting international participants and supporting education/community projects.

Regional players

• Peru Volunteer Travel: Peru-focused volunteer placement agency offering teaching, childcare, and community projects. Comparable regional operating model and customer base (international volunteers seeking Peru placements).

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/otra-cosa-network

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Otra Cosa Network