Volunteer Stories
Indy Slagmeulen. Liemers College, The Netherlands. (San Pedro las Huertas, Feb 2020)
In February 2020 I was in San Pedro las Huertas, Antigua, Guatemala to help build a house for Doña Margarita with Constru Casa. Here is my building experience:
Together with 5 other students, we helped a family near Antigua. All of us participated in a school project called “Liemers College Award” (LCA) which is a project where we had to challenge ourselves and go further than a typical student. We had to excel in four fields; Education, Culture, Society and Sports/Expedition, and all of us did well, each of us winning a golden medal! To complete the requirements in the field of Society, we went to Guatemala, and all the preparations and the fundraising was done independently by ourselves. We had to be creative and we did a lot of different things, but eventually we managed to complete all of the requirements to start our journey.
We walked uphill to the home of the family and knocked on the door, to which the father opened the door and led us through a narrow alley to their living space. It really affected me how unhealthy their previous living circumstances were, all of them sharing a small room where 6 people slept.
The construction workers had already arrived and started the demolition work. First we had to empty the entire outdoor space; like cutting down a tree and digging it out, removing the kitchen, and tearing down a part of their house. This took us two days and then we were finally able to start building the new home.
After demolition, the construction workers had prepared everything to such an extent that the dimensions of the house were laid out and everything was level.
The next part is where the hard work began for me. We had to make U-shaped cuts in a lot of cinderblocks, bend iron pins, mix cement, and we were lugging bricks and other building materials up and down hilly terrain. I found this type of work sincerely rewarding because you can immediately see the results. A nice thing to mention is that the father of the family wanted to take a lot of work out of our hands. I think that way he wanted to show that they were grateful and they appreciated the work everyone was doing, but he also seemed very excited for his new home. What I really enjoyed was plastering; we had to make cement with different proportions so it became a little more liquid, and then we applied this substance to the wall.
We were not able to see the end results of their new home at that time. However a few weeks later we received videos and photos of the end result from a Constru Casa employee with updates about the family. This was an experience I’ll always remember and I would recommend it to anyone!
Thanks a lot to all of Constru Casa, and we are wishing the family all the best in their new home!
Our US military veterans had an amazing volunteer experience
Our US military veterans had an amazing volunteer experience teaming up with Constru Casa to help build a house in rural Guatemala. Constru Casa was able to help us safely navigate the logistics of traveling during a pandemic, and our whole team had zero complications during the entire trip. We will definitely be teaming up with Constru Casa again for future charity events!
The Ohio State University December, 2019
In December of 2019 a group from The Ohio State University came to volunteer with Constru Casa. They spent 1 week building a 3 room house for a family living in a wood and sheet metal home close to Antigua. They had a great week getting to know the family, the masons, and getting to know more about the Guatemalan culture.
Alexandria Gilbert. Verde Valley School, Arizona. (Xepatan Nov 2018)
Happiness. That is what I associate with my experience with Constru Casa. My high school, Verde Valley School, in Arizona, USA had a trip to Guatemala which allowed us to work with Constru Casa. We spent four days building two houses in Xepatan – a small, but beautiful village. As students that come from a well developed and privileged country, we were immediately hit with what poverty really looks like.
Seeing the houses that the two families live in, the cracks in the mud, the tight quarters was shocking. With beautiful views and amazing people to work with, we got to work on the two houses. I remember clearly the smiles on the families faces.
Seeing the children greet us every morning from the top of the trail that we walked down every day warmed all of our hearts. It was not the easiest work, but it certainly was rewarding. From digging trenches, to making our own cement, our fingerprints and sweat is in every inch of the houses we built. Four days was all it took for us to create a safe and sturdy environment which still shocks me. Everyone in that village
was so welcoming and helpful. The families welcomed us with open arms, the little children were there working alongside us the entire time.
Writing this I can still feel the warmth of everyone there. Reflecting on this, I can truly appreciate the experience we had with Constru Casa. Seeing how these four days can really transform two families hearts brings a smile to my face. None of us could ever forget the gift that was given to us through Constru Casa because it truly is the most incredible and rewarding experience. Thank you for everyone involved in building these memories for us… until next time
“This experience changed my life”
My experience with Constru Casa has had a huge impact on me. Building a house together with Constru Casa and my awesome group, for the super kind and grateful people, is the most amazing thing I’ve ever done. To build a house for a family that lives in a completely different reality that we are used here too in The Netherlands is very special. You get to know the family a little bit and they show you that you can be happy with whatever you have. I’ve learned a lot about Guatemala, the beauty of the country and the people, Constru Casa, and the situation in which a lot of Guatemalans live every day, but I have also learned much about myself. It was an unforgettable experience.
Jikke continues to support Constru Casa as an Ambassador from her home, in Netherland. Build better lives in Guatemala, just like Jikke.
Visit our Volunteer Program page to learn more about volunteering or send us a message to voluntario@construcasa.org to learn more about remote volunteer work options!
“The volunteer experience of helping other people is a unique feeling”
Thomas, 25 years old, volunteered with Constru Casa at the beginning of this year. He decided to travel all by himself from Austria, because he wanted to help the less fortunate in Guatemala.
Thomas says: “Growing up in Austria, I never experienced existence-threatening poverty which sadly is the reality for many people in Guatemala. I’ve wanted to help the people who aren’t as fortunate as I am. I reached out to Constru Casa, and together we came up with a solid volunteer program for me to be part of while in Guatemala.
It was an adventure to go alone to Guatemala, a country far away from my home. From the moment I arrived in Guatemala City, I immediately felt at home. Constru Casa was really welcoming!”
Thomas and two of our masons built a house with two rooms for the José Family. The family consists of José, his wife Monica, and their two young children. The father worked during the day but still found time to help build the house. Thomas tells us: “It was great seeing the everyday progress. I will never forget the day we handed over the completed house, the family was so grateful for our help!”
Throughout the building process, Thomas realized how much the new house meant to the family, even though it consists just of a couple of walls. A new house means improvement of their health, their outlook on life, and their life in general.
If Thomas would recommend his volunteer experience? Thomas explained: The experience with Constru Casa in Guatemala was unique and moved me on a profound level. I really recommend working with this organization to everyone who has the possibility to help in that way and wants to help change the world – or just a part of it.”
Thomas continues to support Constru Casa as an Ambassador from his home, in Austria. Build better lives in Guatemala, just like Thomas. Visit our Volunteer Program page to learn more about volunteering or send us a message to voluntario@construcasa.org to learn more about remote volunteer work options!
Alexandria Gilbert. Verde Valley School, Arizona. (Xepatan Nov 2018)
Happiness. That is what I associate with my experience with Constru Casa. My high school, Verde Valley School, in Arizona, USA had a trip to Guatemala which allowed us to work with Constru Casa. We spent four days building two houses in Xepatan – a small, but beautiful village. As students that come from a well developed and privileged country, we were immediately hit with what poverty really looks like.
Seeing the houses that the two families live in, the cracks in the mud, the tight quarters was shocking. With beautiful views and amazing people to work with, we got to work on the two houses. I remember clearly the smiles on the families faces.
Seeing the children greet us every morning from the top of the trail that we walked down every day warmed all of our hearts. It was not the easiest work, but it certainly was rewarding. From digging trenches, to making our own cement, our fingerprints and sweat is in every inch of the houses we built. Four days was all it took for us to create a safe and sturdy environment which still shocks me. Everyone in that village
was so welcoming and helpful. The families welcomed us with open arms, the little children were there working alongside us the entire time.
Writing this I can still feel the warmth of everyone there. Reflecting on this, I can truly appreciate the experience we had with Constru Casa. Seeing how these four days can really transform two families hearts brings a smile to my face. None of us could ever forget the gift that was given to us through Constru Casa because it truly is the most incredible and rewarding experience. Thank you for everyone involved in building these memories for us… until next time
Sophia Bernhardt, Verde Valley School, Arizona. (Xepatan Nov 2018)
The most meaningful experience for me was working in Xepatan, Guatemala for Constru Casa. We built two houses in 3.5 days for families who did not have stable shelter. This changed my perspective on happiness forever. Playing with the kids and communicating with them in the most unique way was extremely inspiring. Seeing them as happy as they were, while having as little as they do, made me realize that it should not take much to be happy. This experience also made me realize how much change needs to happen in our local communities in the United States. Communities everywhere should be as united and family oriented as this village was.
Gus Muller. Verde Valley School, Arizona. (Xepatan Nov 2018)
My experience in Xepatan, Guatemala building houses was a profound experience. It was something I had never done before, and I was seeing people and living arrangements that I had never witnessed. The people in this town had nothing, but nothing is far more than we can imagine. The people were the most loving and caring people I have ever met. The three and a half days we spent there, changed my view of this country and culture. They may be third world financially, but they are first world in love and care. I think that this experience was absolutely amazing and I plan on returning to Xepatan this summer. Thanks to Keith and all at Constru Casa for planning this and letting us help two wonderful families in need.