Maria Francisca Bento in Madrid

"I'm Maria Francisca Bento, I'm 19 years old and I'm studying Dental Medicine at the Universidade Católica Portuguesa in Viseu. I chose Spain because last year I did some volunteering outside Europe, and although I wanted to repeat the experience again this year, I wanted to see what it's like in a reality that's closer to us."

"It's hard to know where to start after having had such an intense experience as the one Cáritas Diocesana de Madrid gave me. It was an adventure in which I opened up, grew, got to know and learnt a lot, and in which every day was a rollercoaster of experiences and emotions.

It all started in Cercedilla, where every day was a real joy, as I spent them as a monitor for dozens of children, where we did countless activities, hikes and games, and where I realised that with the simple we can do a lot.

During this time, we also visited Caritas' headquarters to see how it worked and also to hear the testimonies of many people who have been or are still being supported by it. I have to confess that they were quite psychologically overwhelming days, but they really helped me to realise the (harsh) reality that surrounds us.

After these days, we went to Hiruela, a very small village with few inhabitants, where our main objective was to keep them company and help them with various tasks.

We had four distinct purposes, which were to provide dynamics for older people so that they wouldn't be alone; to create a camp where we would spend the mornings with children doing different activities; to build a radio and broadcast through it, since this small village doesn't have any kind of means of communication, or if it does, it's with difficulty and; finally, to rebuild a house to welcome people, namely pilgrims.

Given all this, our days were based on being present in these different settings, but in addition to this, we had other activities to carry out among the volunteers. We did a lot of hiking, attended many religious celebrations, made crafts, played games, reflected on things and had daily training sessions on different topics, including nature, religion and how to deal with people with any kind of disability.

This experience was a real adventure, where I learnt to understand the world better and to be even more certain that small actions can make a difference when it comes to building a better, more supportive world. I feel very grateful for all the moments I've experienced, all the lessons I've learnt and all the people I've met. I'm sure I'll carry it with me forever."