My Story

In October 2019, as a part of a team of volunteers from Cisco, I will volunteer for a week in Caruaru, Brazil to build water tanks for families living in poverty with no access to clean water.

The following paragraphs from Habitat for Humanity Great Britain's website describe the problem behind our build:

"Many people living in the region of Caruaru work mainly in agriculture which provides families with wages that are far less than the minimum wage in Brazil. In the summer months, there is a lack of rainfall in the region which results in plantations diminishing and, consequently, income that families make from cultivating their own crops are reduced.

The lack of water access in Caruaru forces women, children, and the elderly to walk long distances several times a week in order to collect a decent supply of water for their homes. In many cases, the walk can take up to two hours each way. As such, it is very common for children in the region to drop out of school due to their time being taken up with transporting water to their home. Women who dedicate part of their day to fetching water also cannot work in stable jobs resulting in a lack of income for the household.

The use of unclean water greatly increases the communities of Caruaru risk of contracting diseases and other health issues. This project aims to help families have access to safe, clean water through roof repairs and water tank construction."

Part of this build requires me to fundraise $500 by early August that goes toward supporting the mission of Habitat for Humanity Great Britain and the hosting country directly.

I've always wanted to be part of a large-scale volunteer opportunity and applied right away when I heard Cisco was partnering with Habitat for Humanity Great Britain for such a good cause. On top of helping the local community, this experience will provide me with a chance to improve my skills in leadership and cross-cultural collaboration. I'm very grateful for all the support I receive in preparation for this build!