Elodie, Australia

"I helped build a house in Cambodia. In one week. I was working with Volunteer Building Cambodia, an NGO seeking to improve the life of the rural poor. I came face-to-face with the harsh reality of Cambodia's poverty and brutal history. Perhaps I had become desensitised to images of poverty, as after this experience, I felt profoundly grateful for things I had taken for granted. I am more motivated than ever to continue giving back."