Dancing Is Universal

Sandra Reflects on Her Time Volunteering in Peru

MARCH 3, 2018

For the past several months, All Hands and Hearts – Smart Response has been working throughout Peru to complete two new schools that were previously devastated by flooding.

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The program is complete, the school is built, and the children are preparing to enter their new classroom, but the memories, experiences, and friendships made on program will last a lifetime.

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I volunteered with All Hands and Hearts because I wanted to participate in a project that has a direct and meaningful impact on the lives of others. When rebuilding schools in a post-disaster context, you can see the construction site transform on a daily basis which is so rewarding. Being immersed in a community is also amazing because the children that will be attending the future schools walk past each day smiling.

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My voluntary work is driven by my background as a migrant from former Yugoslavia to New Zealand, and honoring the perseverance and sacrifice my family made for me through the times of conflict.

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I am fortunate to have been given many opportunities, and All Hands and Hearts is part of my journey to give back to others using the skills and knowledge I have gained from them.

The love the community of Yapatera has for us volunteers and how happy they are to share their homes and lives with us. A highlight for me has been running a salsa and latin dance class for a weekly “women’s circle” group hosted by the organization, as well as teaching salsa to volunteers on base.

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Dance is a universal language and it connects people across cultures without the need to speak the same language. It’s been my greatest joy seeing the women of Yapatera and the volunteers smile, laugh and sing together while they all dance the same movements.

There is something special about dance in that it requires people to be a bit more vulnerable and share their identity in a way only expressed through human emotion.

I think it’s been able to connect the community and volunteers on a deeper level which complements the everyday interactions on the construction site.”

Whether it’s mucking and gutting in the heart of Houston, Texas, or bending rebar in the mountains of Nepal, your willingness to help can make a lasting impact on the communities affected by natural disasters. Sign up to volunteer on one of the active programs around the world.