Angie is a young volunteer who started working at TECHO a year TECHO in Monterrey.
She says that the first time she went to a construction site, she ran into a few obstacles. Her parents told her it would be the first and last time she’d go because she hadn’t asked for permission beforehand—she’d only told them the day before. Everything was improvised; she only brought a quilt to sleep on, which got soaked just before she got on the truck because her backpack fell into a puddle.
She was so overwhelmed with emotion that when she returned home that weekend, she no longer remembered the “bad” things that had happened to her before she left to help with the construction. That first construction project—the activities the team organized and the time spent with strangers—had a profound impact on her. Angie says, “Those little details (…) made me realize that I was surrounded by such incredible people with enormous empathy and big hearts.”
For Angie, volunteering at TECHO a unique experience. She learns new things on every construction project; for example, on her most recent project with the Monterrey team, they built a different type of home than the ones she’s used to building. She was also very curious about building a dry toilet.
During her time as a volunteer, Angie says she has formed a special bond with Doña Esperanza, a neighbor in Monterrey, with whom she enjoys spending time in the neighborhood. In fact, spending time with the families and fellow volunteers is what she enjoys most about her work with TECHO—especially when the volunteers are new, because she’s excited to see young people take the plunge even though it requires some effort on their part.
“I like it when the people I spend time with share the same perspective (…), it motivates me to stay here and keep fighting for greater justice.”
According to Angie, volunteering at TECHO an opportunity to “try new things, since it’s never too late to create and experience something new.”