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 the Habitat for Humanity India volunteer builds in Chennai, she says, stand apart.

Having already led three builds with over 100 UPS volunteers and preparing for two more in the coming weeks, 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 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. “In those few moments, I could feel we are building more than a place that will serve as a safe shelter. We are building homes that will nurture hopes and dreams and write stories that can be transformative.”

UPS’ commitment to community service is rooted in its global philanthropic approach — HELP: Health & Humanitarian Relief, Equity & Economic Empowerment, Local Engagement, and Planet Protection. The spirit of giving back is embedded in their culture and proudly reflected across their social media through #UPSGivesBack, which aligns the organisation perfectly with Habitat’s vision of building homes, communities and hope.

Reflecting on the journey, Mrs. Vidhya Lakshmi expresses gratitude to every volunteer. Her message is simple yet profound: “We should not let the energy and spirit of community service die out. We have to keep the momentum going, and the impact should keep growing.”