My Nonprofit Reviews

I passed through Pisco, Peru in 2007 a few months after the large earthquake there and was so shocked at the destruction that I immediately felt a very strong need to help out in a practical way. Two days later I was welcomed as a new volunteer at the Hands on Disaster Relief (now All Hands Volunteers) compound, set up camp in a small pup tent and was put to work. I thought I would stay for a week but I stayed for a month demolishing severly damaged adobe brick homes and clearing rubble six days a week. Once the sites were cleared families were able to put up a tent to live in or begin construction on a new home. After three weeks I joined a team constructing very simple classrooms to enable local children to return to school. I was instantly struck by the dedication of the 80 or so volunteers already there and those that joined during my tenure, the transparent and egalitarian leadership of the organisation and the easy comradery that unfolded amongst the volunteers. I made friends instantly and this helped me maintain the motivation to keep on with the hard physical and often emotionally charged work. What I liked most about the organisation was that they were offering very practical hands on assistance to people in real need with a minimum of bureacracy involved. People needed rubble cleared so we showed up with wheel barrows and shovels and we worked until the rubble was cleared and then we moved to the next family that needed help. I also liked that there was room within the operation for people with valuable skills to put them to use. Many of the volunteers I worked with were engineers and got to work helping surrounding villages solve difficult engineering dilemas. During my month I met many volunteers from around the world who displayed such a deep sense of dedication to the cause. People who forewent regular wages, comfort and often times their own safety to help people in need. I feel very priviledged to have spent some time with such kind hearted folk and have a real sense of admiration for them and the organisation.

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