Whether it be unruly community members, collapsing roofs, or even surprise house fires, the Techeros always manage to come out on top.

For two arduous days, over 200 students and teachers, alongside TECHO volunteers, worked on providing a stable wooden home to 20 families in Monterrey that struggled to afford one on their own.

Some teams had the task of demolishing their previous abode in order to construct a new one on top: “It was very impacting to see that they allowed us to rip apart their house, trusting that we were going to provide a safer alternative,” says ‘Jefe de Cuadrilla’ Marcelo Zavala regarding the construction.

The executive team had to quickly improvise an activity for 9 construction teams located in one of three communities that failed to follow the safety guidelines on account of being under the influence. On the second day, these where rearranged into completely new groups and focused on painting previously constructed houses.

On previous constructions, the team had also faced obstacles, but always managed to move past them, showing true leadership. One such crisis was a house built by ASFM volunteers catching fire from a stray piece of burnt trash, causing the community to evacuate. A few weeks later, a team of committed students was able to restore it.

An additional curveball they encountered on another build was a main support beam buckling under the weight of the people working on the roof. Once again they were able to address the situation by rebuilding it immediately and continuing with the project.

On all occasions, the executive team has responded to unprecedented situations in a calm and effective manner, placing the safety of the volunteers as the top priority.

During this recent construction, not only did they work with hammers, but they also interacted with the community on a deeper level through a specialized program focused on giving classes to children in a wide range of topics, including art, math, reading, and writing.

The TECHO mission was not just about leaving four wooden walls, a floor, and a roof. It was about creating a point of reunion, a safe haven, and most importantly, a legacy of service to both one’s teammates and our neighboring communities in need.