RB Global Community Challenge: Day Three

This week and next, 64 Reckitt Benckiser employees from 33 different countries are arriving in Brazil for this year’s RB Global Challenge in aid of Save the Children.

31 of them are already well under way with the Community Challenge in Petrolina, north-east Brazil. The team has raised nearly £300,000 for Save the Children over the past nine months.

Some of these funds are being used to renovate and rebuild two creches in the Joao de Deus community of Petrolina. Below two of the Community Challenge volunteers recount their third day:

Alejandra Arreaga, originally from Mexico, is now based in the UK:

“From the moment I was selected to take part of this challenge, I have been really excited and looking forward to these moments.

Not only because I knew it was going to be a great personal experience but also because it touches one of the areas I truly believe can make a difference in people’s lives: education.

Coming to Brazil to help provide better schooling facilities for kids is something I really believe in, as a good education, starting from early ages, brings opportunities for a brighter future and provides a foundation for the development of society.

After 3 days of hard work at the Joao Paulo creche, I can only say that this global challenge is exceeding my expectations.

The sweat, pain and exhaustion are felt everyday, but are very closely followed by the satisfaction, joy and excitement of seeing that, even if by little, we are putting our efforts in making a change to the world.

Another really exciting thing of this challenge is to have so many of us from different backgrounds, nationalities, jobs, etc working together towards a common goal. Everybody is so motivated and driven that the collaboration is fantastic.

A Mexican saying this would say ‘Muchas fuerzas pequeñas hacen una grande’ (many little forces make a big one) – which in this case is totally true! We work together, get the things done effectively, and have a lot of fun in the process.

Three more days to go! We are more energized than ever and we look forward to share the results with the Brazilian families and their kids very soon!”

Mohammed Tag, works for RB in Egypt:

“Fourth day is about to start, feeling exhausted but very excited and motivated to achieve our objective.

Yesterday,was the third day,very sunny and I was working with my colleagues to paint the wall and remove all the grass from the floor,while others were working on demolishing the wall.

Many children came to see us,they were very happy of the work we are doing, the were trying to introduce themselves in Portuguese, talking about football and famous Brazilian players.

We took photos with them and they were singing the Brazilian national anthem while others were showing us how they dance the moonwalker and singing Michael Jackson.

We had very tasty Brazilian meal at lunch and after we finished our day we went to fruit plantage which is owned by the coordinator principal of one of the crèches and they offered us Guave and passion fruit and coconut juice and she gave us many fruits while we were leaving.

At the night we went to have pizza, in an open air Brazilian pizzeria by the river where there was a place for kids to play and a birthday celebration.”