Why I volunteer

Last weekend I joined a group of friends volunteering to build houses in rural Cambodia to provide families with a more permanent places to live, replacing grass shacks with little tin & concrete houses. This is the eighth year my husband and I have joined this programme, working with a small local Cambodia charity, the Tabitha Foundation. On the way home I had the chance, due to a 12 hour flight, to reflect on what brings us back every year and I thought I'd share what I believe I learn and benefit from personally.

Figuring out a personal purpose

I spend a lot of time thinking about Dimension Data's purpose as a company and the impact we make as a company on the environment, our clients and our colleagues in the business. Being so out of my comfort zone in an environment with limited electricity, running water, access to healthcare etc helps me understand the opportunity I have to make a difference to a small number of people that I know and think about what that personal purpose is.

Giving perspective

There's nothing like being in an environment where 1 in 5 children still don't make it to the age of 5 and there are really no people over the age of 50 to make me thankful for the life I have. I sometimes notice that I'm worrying about whether I'm doing a good enough job at work, am at home enough, whether I'm putting on weight, eating the right food etc - all the things that create anxiety for many of us. Spending time with these families really does make me grateful for many of the things I take for granted: being educated, having access to healthcare, having a bank account and money in it, a family and friends that I love and love me back. It really puts so much into perspective. I commit to never complaining about being bored with Pret-a-Manger salads again.

People always surprise you

This year there were about 30 volunteers working in teams of 6 to build houses around the village. We come from different countries, background, languages, roles and home lives. Being in the village laying bamboo floors and putting up tin walls is a real leveller. I am always amazed at the generosity of spirit and resillience of nature of everyone who turns up. It's a great reminder of the power of diversity in team work and the need to not jump to conclusions about anyone's ability to do a job well, what motivates them or the role they'll play in a team. And how by working together in a pretty challenging environment really does create friendships that will last a lifetime.

Space to think

Amazingly, one of the main benefits I find is that it's time away from my desk, my inbox and my day to day responsibilities. A few times at the weekend, I was gazing across the paddy fields or banging nails into bamboo when a solution to a problem popped into my mind. I find volunteering really helps give me the space to think differently and clearly. Somehow being in a very different environment helps me solve some of the challenges in my normal working week.

Please let me know if this has been in any way interesting or useful. I'm really interested in hearing about your volunteering experience and what you think you've personally got out of it too.