A Bermudian who helped build three houses in three weeks has spoken out about how helping others has positively impacted his life.

Magic Jason Albouy, 22, took part in a trip to Guatemala with the volunteer organisation Habitat for Humanity International (HFHI) from July 27 to August 15. While there, Mr. Albouy and 54 other volunteers mixed cement and carried dozens of bricks from place to place.

All-in-all they helped construct three homes – from the foundations up to the roof, for a family in need.

Mr. Albouy explained: "I was determined to get the job done. Just so I didn't leave the country with the feeling of unsureness – like how long will it be until the house gets done or how long will this family stay homeless.

"The families were just so happy, emotional, they just couldn't thank us enough.

"I enjoy helping the people that are less fortunate and in need. And the social experience is also awesome, just getting to know new people that I didn't know lived with me here in Bermuda."

Since its inception in 1976, HFHI has helped build simple, decent homes for more than a million people around the world.

Each home they complete is sold to a disadvantaged family for no additional profit. The family, however, must invest hundreds of hours of their own helping to build the home and are required to make affordable, monthly payments.

Mr. Albouy and the other volunteers, mostly from Bermuda, worked from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. in blistering 90 to 100 degree heat. "It was difficult on our bodies working under such intense heat doing construction.

"Also a lot of people were getting sick from this, myself included. One of the days I caught a fever of 104 degrees and had to be out for two days."

The language barrier also made it challenging to complete the project, however, Mr. Albouy admits he has studied basic Spanish and could understand the Guatemalans "at least 75 per cent of the time".

While taking a break from building, Mr. Albouy and the other volunteers had an opportunity to visit a nutritional centre for children suffering from malnutrition. He said children were generally kept there for a month, or until their health and strength got back up to where it should be, then they were released back to their parents.

He said: "For some of the volunteers it was a shocking, others were just so touched. The children were so adorable and it seemed we were all attached to each other."

This was the 22-year-old's third trip with HFHI and he's had an equally enjoyable experience each time. He said: "Definitely I enjoyed it, I can't get enough of these trips."

The experience has also given him a chance to travel the world – so far he has been to Bolivia and Mexico with the organisation. "It was interesting because the first place I went was Bolivia and I thought I've never been anywhere near there, so it was a great opportunity.

"Brazil and Bolivia have more poverty than Guatemala," he said. "In Bolivia there were a lot of homeless people, lots of people came up to you and begged for money even young children."

In comparison to Bermuda, he believes that: "A lot of people here take things for granted – they don't really know what they have. In Latin America some houses you see don't have doors or windows, some children don't own a pair of shoes, so it made me very much appreciative of what I have."

Overall, he considers it a good experience. He said: "It was a great feeling knowing that I was able to help somebody with housing knowing that it is such a big crisis in Bermuda."

"For some it would show what they actually have, what they're made of, it may even stop them complaining about life."