Thinking about volunteering and building in Vietnam? Sarah, our Global Village Coordinator looks back at her first build to Vietnam 5 years ago, and shares why volunteering in this beautiful country is sure to be an experience you won’t forget.
Five years on from my first Habitat build in Vietnam and I can still remember it like it was yesterday.
I travelled to Vietnam in 2010 to join a Habitat build. I took this opportunity to discover Vietnam and all it had to offer. I did not know what I was in for and everywhere I went exceeded my expectations.
If you haven’t travelled in Vietnam, you’re out missing on a country that is mesmerising, intoxicating, mind-expanding and super fun. Vietnam is the kind of place you’ll leave feeling relaxed, amazed, well-fed, well-dressed and with a thousand tales to tell.
I was lucky enough to join this build with my dad. The project we worked on was for a dumpsite relocation in Rach Gia. Being able to join a team and visit a province off the beaten track allowed me to learn so much about the people of this amazing country.
The people you meet and the stories you hear will change you. I went on this build not knowing a thing about Habitat for Humanity and I am now lucky enough to be working with this amazing organisation.
In just one week I worked with 11 others to build a home for a family who were living on a dump site. My eyes were opened up by this experience. I laughed, cried, made amazing friends and I have memories that will last me a lifetime.
5 years on and 4 builds under my belt, I still wear my same mud stained shoes and will never forget my first build with Habitat in Vietnam.
If you haven’t been to Vietnam before, don’t put it off any longer! Habitat for Humanity offers several builds to Vietnam each year, including our Un-Pho-Gettable build in August. This is your opportunity to have an amazing experience like mine, and I can’t recommend it highly enough.
The Un-Pho-Gettable build takes place in Tien Giang, a disaster prone province where you’ll be making a real difference by helping a family build a safe, secure and disaster resilient home. This means the family will be safe and protected during storms and typhoons, which are common to the area. A safe home means they will no longer have to take time off work to make repairs to their house or spend their hard earned savings on this. This means they can focus on earning a living and providing for their families so they can have a brighter and more promising future.
Join the Un-Pho-Gettable team today for a trip that will not only change the life of a family in need but yours too!
