For E. Vidhya Lakshmi, UPS Community Connections Ambassador at UPS Express Pvt. Ltd., volunteering has always been a way to bring people together. Over the last five years, in her 10 years of service at UPS Express, she has led numerous community engagement initiatives – but, according to her, the Habitat for Humanity India volunteer builds in Chennai (Tamil Nadu) stand apart.

Having led a total of five builds with over 200 UPS volunteers, Mrs. Vidhya Lakshmi recounts how the experience reshaped her understanding of teamwork, community spirit and human connection.

“Considering the complexity of construction activities, I was not expecting much from the volunteer build,” she shares. “But the level of organisation I got to see at the build site astonished me. Everything was so planned and well-organised that it reduced the coordination I had to do internally. Everything was very well communicated.”

What moved her even more was the powerful participation of women on-site. Their involvement, she says, highlighted the innate strength of women in community building. “Since I was leading the volunteers for the build from UPS, I witnessed a rare sense of shared culture and empowerment that women bring into the community.”

Though interactions with homeowners were brief, they were deeply meaningful. She further added, “In those few moments, I could feel that we were building a place that will serve as a safe shelter. We were building homes that would nurture hopes and dreams and shape transformative stories.”

UPS’ commitment to community service is grounded in its global philanthropic framework, HELP: Health and Humanitarian Relief, Economic Empowerment, Local Community Engagement and Planet Protection. At the heart of this work is a culture captured in the belief that “service is in our DNA.” This spirit of giving back is reflected through their mantra, #UPSGivesBack, aligning closely with Habitat’s vision of building homes, communities and hope.

Reflecting on the journey, Mrs. Vidhya Lakshmi expressed gratitude to every volunteer. Her message is simple yet profound: "We must sustain the energy and spirit of community service, building on the momentum and continuing to grow our impact."