My first trip with this wonderful organisation was in 2016, to Caminul Felix in Romania with a number of colleagues from across the world. As the orphanage is constantly growing and developing, we worked on a number of projects and I gained so much experience of problem solving and physically building something. The best part of the trip was the opportunity to really connect with both the families and the wider community in which they live, visiting the local town as well as a Romany gypsy camp and state orphanage.  We spent our evenings with the families in the village, learning about the community, getting to know the children and playing games in the evening sun. I have continued my involvement with the orphanage by arranging donations of clothing and toys to be sent over as Christmas gifts in 2016 and 2017 and hope to continue this in 2018.

 

At the end of the trip, emotions were running high and so when the trip to Thailand came up in 2018, I didn’t hesitate to book myself a place! Another wonderful experience, this time we worked on a larger project, leaving behind a wonderful legacy and setting up the Felix Family village with a means to create income and support themselves in the future.

 

My time away with Building Humanity has made me a lot more appreciative of the things most people take for granted, and shaped the way I deal with problems in my everyday life and I can’t wait for the next opportunity.

 

For anyone interesting in taking part in a similar trip, I would say go for it. The feeling you get from this type of hands on work, seeing the impact you are making and how much joy you can bring to communities like this, along with the team spirit and enthusiasm whilst working together towards such an amazing end goal is truly an incredible experience.