The participation grew from a friendship between NewSchool Dean Emeritus, Gil Cooke, and Luis Vazquez, who founded the Yantalo Community Foundation. In 2007, NewSchool students Gina Cangialosi and Laura Garza traveled to Peru where they surveyed the proposed site for the clinic and met with community members. The design they developed for the clinic took into account a slope of about 30 degrees, which they leveraged to create a terrace effect. Some of the “green” steps incorporated into the project include solar power, energy efficient light bulbs, natural lighting, recycled building materials, and low flow toilets and sinks. These are meant to decrease environmental impact on the region and lower operating costs.
The clinic plays a critical role in the region since the closest major hospital is in Lima, twenty-one hours away from the clinic.