Last year in December 2023, I joined buildOn and a team of 6 people to raise funds and travel to Nicaragua to build a school in a remote community deprived of education. Originally, we were intending to do this project in Guatemala. But due to the political situation in Guatemala and civil unrest, we had to change the location to Nicaragua. While I feel sad for not being able to do this in Guatemala (which we will make up for, in 2 years time by raising funds for a school in Guatemala), I am so glad I got to see Nicaragua.

Nicaragua is a beautiful country in Central America, and the village Manchones#3 where I spent most of my time is amongst rolling hills, mountains, and greenery everywhere, and most of all – its people are some of the most beautiful I have ever met.

Check out the community on Google Earth

Before I share my experience at Manchones#3, let me share a bit about buildOn – the organisation that makes this initiative possible. buildOn is a not-for-profit organisation that enables people like me, and those who believe in the power of education, to give back to the community in a meaningful way. It enables volunteers to form a team, raise funds required to build the school, be the donors themselves, & more importantly physically travel to the impact location (self-funded), work with the community, and instil what buildOn founder refers to as “ignition” in the community. Check out the video below where buildOn founder describes the “ignition” in his own words. For those interested in knowing more about buildOn, I encourage you to read his book “Walk in their shoes” which inspired me to join this movement.

We were accompanied by 5 buildOn local staff who would lead & coordinate the “trek” to the impact location. These extraordinary individuals exemplify leadership, selflessness, and compassion. They went above and beyond to ensure our well-being during the trek, while also dedicating their time and energy to school build. Their unwavering commitment to give back and making a difference set the tone for the entire journey, turning it into a powerful movement of hope and inspiration for the entire community and us. They led by example, and made a huge impact to everyone.

Let me start by sharing a bit about the journey. It started in Melbourne on 1st December 2023. After a busy year at work, I was looking forward to a break and also excited for my second project with buildOn. To get to Nicaragua, I flew from Melbourne > Sydney > Hawaii > Houston > Managua (capital city of Nicaragua). It was a long journey but the excitement of meeting my team at the airport and heading on this adventure made it all the way easier.

We meet at the airport and start making our way to our next destination in a chicken bus. We head to Esteli and stay there for a night to rest up as it would be a long journey next day to get to the community.

Next day, early morning, we make our way from Esteli to WiWilí. Once we reach WiWilí, we switch over to 4WD trucks and then head to the village Manchones#3 (another ~3 hours from WiWilí).

When we arrive we are greeted by the local community. We have a formal welcome ceremony, which included signing the buildOn covenant – each community member, buildOn staff, the fundraisers sign this covenant. The covenant ensures participation from all community members to build the school, commitment to send their kids (regardless of gender) to the school.

After the formal welcome ceremony and breaking grounds, we then head to our host families. The 6 fundraising team members were split into 3 pairs and each pair stayed with a host family.

My host family was a family of 5 with the bread winner Marciel, his wife, and 3 children. Marciel built this house by himself. Linh and I felt privileged to be welcomed into their home and being given a space to stay during our time in Manchones#3.

Next 3 days, we participated in the construction of the school with the community. Every morning at 7AM, we would have breakfast and head to the construction site. Start our day with some exercise, and get cracking with digging the foundation, and getting the pillars ready.

It was grueling, back-breaking labor under the scorching sun, but witnessing the entire community – men, women, children, buildOn staff, and my fellow team members – coming together to construct the school filled me with strength and determination. The camaraderie and shared purpose fuelled me to persevere and turn up every day and build the school. This is the epitome of teamwork – a powerful lesson that resonates deeply to me and something I will take back with me to my work. When a team unites behind a common objective, shares a collective vision for a brighter future, and understands that only together can they accomplish their goals, the possibilities become limitless.

After a few days spent in the community, the time had come for us to depart. On our final day, the community gathered to bid us farewell. The poignant embraces from the community members and the hopeful gleam in the eyes of the children made it an incredibly emotional send-off.

We returned to the capital city, Managua. It was a memorable experience spending time with Daniel and Truc, getting to know them better. Their commitment, generosity, and dedication to the community left a deep impression on me.

After the project, readjusting to normal life was challenging for all of us. Such experiences truly make you reflect on your life. The journey wasn’t over yet. Over the next 2.5 months, the community continued building the school.

This week, I received the heartwarming news that the school was completed and the children were finally able to attend. Witnessing those familiar faces and the ones who joined me in building the school finally getting an education was incredibly emotional.

I want to express my sincere gratitude to all the donors who generously contributed to this cause. You can find them here. I hope you can see the profound impact it has had. I assure you, this school will bring about transformative change in Manchones#3. The community of Manchones#3 is deeply appreciative.

I am also deeply grateful and honoured to have shared this life changing experience with my amazing teammates. Meeting and reconnecting with these wonderful people for a cause that we all care about has been a true joy. Each one of them is a remarkable individual with so much to offer, and I feel privileged to call them my friends. Together, we’ve created unforgettable memories. I am already looking forward to our next adventure together as Team Hope!

I cannot wait to embark on another project with my team, this time in Guatemala. Our fundraising page is already live. If this story has touched you and you’d like to be part of another project, please don’t hesitate to reach out or donate to my next project here.