Lending a hand in Hawaii

Each year, Burgess employees have the opportunity to participate in impactful volunteer work around the globe. From Poland to the Philippines, individuals have provided aid where it’s needed the most, making a difference in communities affected by crisis while immersing themselves in life-changing experiences.

This year, the focus was on wildfire relief in Lahaina, Hawaii, following the most devastating wildfires in US history. Over 12,000 residents were displaced, and entire neighbourhoods were reduced to ash. Harriet van Hengel, Hamish Kemp, and Kevin Renshaw were the three Burgess team members selected to join All Hands and Hearts (AHAH), a disaster relief organisation, in the challenging but rewarding task of helping local families clear their land and prepare for rebuilding.

We sat down with Harriet and Hamish to hear all about it.

Hamish shared a similar sense of purpose: ‘I have never volunteered before, so I was keen for a new experience, and Hawaii was an exciting place to go!’

As Hamish explained, ‘most of the people affected come from very poor backgrounds and simply don’t have the resources needed to rebuild their houses. Hawaii is an incredibly expensive place to live, and the majority of local people are working three or four jobs just to put food on the table.’

Harriet highlighted the human impact: ‘After speaking with some locals, it was clear that if they had to go back themselves and clear the remnants of this tragic event, the impact on their mental health would have been detrimental. For some, the job wouldn’t have been manageable, especially for the unwell, disabled, older generation or single-parent families.’

Hamish described a similar routine: ‘I’d be up most mornings between 5:00 and 6:00 to phone home. After breakfast and the briefing, we’d drive to the site and work on clearing burnt tree stumps, fencing, driveways, and more. It was very manual work but incredibly rewarding.’

Harriet echoed his sentiments: ‘The days were hot, the work was hard, the camp was basic, but there was such a positive energy, attitude, and atmosphere that was truly infectious. We met some truly inspirational people and being greeted so hospitably in a place that has suffered such tragedy was touching.’