Care worker Robert Torode swapped his duties at Pendean Nursing Home in West Lavington for a week shovelling rubble and mixing concrete halfway across the world in a remote part of Ecuador.
He was one of a 120-strong team of Bupa employees taking part in the Ecuador Challenge to build a health and wellbeing centre for the small agricultural community of Miraflore. Currently, because of its remote location, a doctor visits the area only
six times a year.
And back at Pendean this week 24-year-old Robert said: "I had never done anything like it before and I thought it would be something different for me to tackle.
"I had done building work in this country before, but this was a lot harder because of the altitude and the heat.
"But I think it was a very worthwhile cause. We don't realise how lucky we are here in this country and yet the people in Ecuador are so happy even though they have very little."
The challenge, which is being wholly funded by Bupa, is the largest international staff volunteering challenge ever organised by the health and care company.
When in Ecuador, the volunteers worked alongside others from the Martha Estrella Foundation, a registered charity based in Ecuador which helps disadvantaged communities find lasting solutions to improve social and economic conditions.
During his week-long stay in Ecuador, Robert and his fellow volunteers stayed in Quito and were taken by bus every day to the building site in Miraflores, an hour away.
"I spent most of my time clearing the site and then mixing concrete for the flooring," said Robert.
"At the end of the week we had a special closing ceremony and the volunteers gave many of their things away.
"I gave my prized Liverpool FC jacket and a pair of trainers away."
In addition, each volunteer raised £1,000 and together they were able to contribute around £120,000 towards improvements for the community.
These included a medical and dental facility, a childcare facility so children of the village can be safety looked after while their parents work, education facilities such as classrooms, an IT suite and bedrooms for teachers during their visits.
Robert, who lives in Petworth, raised £800 through an excruciating sponsored leg wax. In addition the Lions Club of Midhurst donated a further £200.
Pippa Vowles, head of corporate responsibility Bupa Group, said: "The Ecuador Challenge is bringing together Bupa employees from all over the world to help deliver essential healthcare facilities to a community in need and strengthens the volunteering work already being done in those countries in which Bupa operates."
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