Dorchester-based Kara Rijnen Weekes, Broker of Record with Sandy Krueger Real Estate Inc., has long been interested in all things “green” and eco-friendly. Earlier this year, she received her Accredited Green Broker Designation and she has recently returned from Guatemala, where she had the opportunity to make a difference for local kids, their community, and the environment.
She raised $1,115 and volunteered as part of an international team for Hug It Forward, a grassroots organization that facilitates education by empowering communities in Latin America to build “bottle schools.” Bottle schools are built using “eco-bricks”: plastic bottles stuffed with inorganic trash. Entire communities come together to make the dream of educational opportunity a reality, by building their own bottle school.
During their week-long trip in November, Kara and the 17 other volunteers visited four different schools and worked on two schools under construction. Their work consisted of placing over 1,600 bottles a day, painting an entire school inside and out, and mixing and applying cement to the walls on the last day. They also had a chance to learn about the culture and area by way of community hikes, talks with community leaders, and a tour of the Mayan ruins.
“I was truly moved by the sense of community in this country and the sheer joy these children had at the thought of having a new school to attend,” shares Kara. “Most never graduate the sixth grade – if they attend school at all – so these schools are truly helping to break the cycle of poverty in this area. With a proper education these kids have the opportunity to get a job later in life and provide for their families – something that is currently not possible for many community members.”
For Kara, the most rewarding part of the experience was working alongside members of the local community. “The part I love the most about Hug It Forward is that they do not simply go into an area, build a school then leave,” explains Kara. “They involve the entire community in the process because they know that if the community is not committed and involved it will not have the same impact. All families must get involved and it was really heartwarming to watch an entire community come together to build these schools.”
Kara is eager to return to Guatemala and is already organizing another trip for November 2013. She highly recommends the voluntourism experience to other REALTORS®: “I think it would be amazing to have an entire group of REALTORS® involved in a project like this! My advice would be to just do it. Your life will never be the same after!”
