The best summer plan: helping others

More than three years ago, we launched our International Volunteer Program with the hope of fostering a spirit of solidarity and a commitment to helping others among young people. Since then, each edition has expanded and added new experiences.

This summer, twenty young people from four countries where Fundación Mapfre works traveled to the Dominican Republic to volunteer with Nuestros Pequeños Hermanos (NPH). This organization is dedicated to improving the lives of vulnerable children and young people.

They were all children of our volunteers, demonstrating that solidarity is also learned at home, passed down from one generation to the next and, above all, shared.

During their stay, they dedicated their time and enthusiasm to various maintenance, cleaning, and construction tasks. But the experience was so much more than just the work itself. Spending time with the children at NPH, connecting with the local team, and gaining firsthand insight into a different reality allowed them to form bonds that will last long after the trip.

In addition to participating in volunteer activities, the young people had the opportunity to tell their stories through photography. To inspire them, we suggested four topics through which they could observe and capture the world around them: hands, surroundings, customs, and food.

The goal was to discover how they see the world through the tiny details of everyday life and to capture moments that sometimes say far more than words.

The resulting collection of images offers a glimpse into their experience and brings us closer to the reality they encountered in the Dominican Republic. It is a way to remember their experience and share it with those of us who were not there.

Hands

Hands that work, help, build, and share. A journey through everyday gestures that reflect the connections between people.

Surroundings

Landscapes, spaces, and hidden pockets of everyday life. A glimpse of the place that welcomed them during this experience.

Customs

Traditions, everyday scenes, and ways of life that allowed them to connect with Dominican culture and discover different realities.

Food

Flavors and time shared around the table that also make up part of a country’s identity and culture.

Year after year, the spirit of solidarity that inspired our International Volunteering Program continues to grow, leaving a lasting impact on everyone involved: on the communities that welcome the volunteers and on those who return home with a broader view of the world.