Mary Chalons

In January 2008 I took part in a three week volunteer project with AidCamps International to build a new block for a disabled children’s primary school in Tamil Nadu, southern India.

One week of my trip was covered by the Royal Household volunteering leave.

It was an amazing experience and thanks to the funds raised via sponsorship, and some hard work, the building was completed and is now being used to support and educate disabled children and their families.

When we first arrived at the project we found the breezeblock shell of the building; there was certainly plenty of work to be done.

I was struck by how few tools they have, making the work very labour intensive and quite crude compared to western methods. They seem to have built the entire building armed only with some wooden scaffold, metal ‘woks’ and a few heavy mattocks, needless to say there was not a cement mixer in sight.

To give us an insight into the work of SCAD, the NGO (non-governmental organisation) that we were assisting in the project, we spent time in some of the villages they are supporting. The welcome we received in these poor communities was overwhelmingly warm.

I was impressed by the amount SCAD is achieving in this region through a broad, sustainable approach to social change including initiating self-help groups, building schools, restoring village water supplies and tree planting schemes for agricultural diversification.

For me it was inspirational to see how these simple but well thought through schemes have helped people to improve their prospects.

All in all, the experience was incredible and I certainly hope to take part in a similar project again in the future.

Despite some slightly unpredictable workmen, power cuts and more than our fair share of cold showers, we successfully completed our part of the project which will help SCAD to continue the great work they are doing.