Nuria Delgado-Colomo Cambodia
I went on a dental volunteering trip to Nepal wanting to help, but the place allowed me to find out more about myself. On this trip especially I felt as if I was entering a new and exciting chapter in my own life. I felt obliged to go back and to give back after all the good things that the place, those adorable children and amazing people gave me. So, in March I volunteered in Cambodia with Dentaid and here I go again – this time to Uganda in September 2024.
Just Do It. Volunteering can be challenging and rewarding at the same time. It will give you perspective and show you how to be an effective member of a team. You will learn about yourself and will learn from others – you will inspire others and yourself.
Volunteering taught me humility and you make a personal connection with the person you are directly assisting. These connections in all their forms and complexity enrich our lives.
Each volunteering trip is different, but I believe we all have a set of skills that can be applied to volunteering. For me the ones that have been enhanced by volunteering are;
- Teamwork, this is the most important for me. You can achieve what seems impossible with a good team working together.
- Communication with care and understanding.
- Compassion for each human being and their situation.
- Commitment and passion to the cause you are volunteering for.
- Strong work ethic volunteering can be hard at times.
- Time management we normally work with a time limit in each clinic and to help as many people as possible we need to manage our time the best way possible.
Written by Nuria Delgado-Colomo – March 2023