Living our Mission
My name is Aedín Fiel, and I am an Associate Director in the Talent Acquisition function. As part of my job, I often talk about our purpose and values. However, it is our mission to save and sustain lives that resonate the most strongly in my heart. It is a value that I carry into my personal life as well.
Over the summer of 2024, I embarked on a transformative mission with my eldest, joining a charity project to help complete the construction of a school in Kenya. When I chose to volunteer with this non-profit organization, Baxter gave me time and support to help bring this purpose to life. I am thankful to have the opportunity to share my experience with you.
DOing work that matters
My son and I, along with 50 teenage boys and 10 parents, spent eight grueling yet incredibly rewarding days working on the second story of the school. It was the hardest physical work I have ever done, demanding constant heavy lifting, bending, and crouching while using basic machinery with minimal health and safety measures.
We mixed cement by hand, combining sand, water, and rocks, then quickly carried heavy buckets of the mixture up two stories to the worksite, racing against time before the sand hardened. Brick by brick, we worked alongside the local workers to build this school, united by our mission to bring this school to life.
Building A HopeFul Future
A non-profit organization spearheaded this school project to create new opportunities for local children and pave the way for better life outcomes.
The land for the Technical College was generously donated by a local benefactor whose son tragically passed away. In a heartfelt decision, he chose to honor his son’s memory by dedicating the land to empowering underprivileged Kenyans and providing them with life-changing opportunities.
Learning from each other
Despite the challenging conditions, the experience was deeply rewarding. We had the privilege of visiting and interacting with local schools where many of the children had never encountered people outside of Africa. Our boys were deeply moved by the resilience and joy of these children, who beamed with positivity despite their difficult circumstances.
Forever changed
Along the way, we gained valuable insights into the culture of waste and disposability in our own society and the importance of reusing resources. We also discovered that contentment can be achieved from simplicity, a stark contrast to our materialistic culture.
With hand-on-heart, I can honestly say this experience left an indelible imprint on us, fostering a deep love for Africa, its people, and the immense hospitality and kindness they showed us. It gave us a renewed sense of purpose and a commitment to continue supporting the charity on our return home.
Building A relationship
Throughout this journey, my son and I had meaningful moments to connect and truly check in with each other. We deepened our understanding of one another as individuals, strengthening our bond in the process.
“Looking back, this journey was far more than building a physical structure.”
"It was about bridging cultural divides, fostering empathy, and deepening the bond between a mother and her adult son.
This journey also inspired me to bring the values of making a difference and pursuing meaningful work into our professional lives at Baxter Healthcare, no matter how small and insignificant, every action begins with a step, followed by the next and the next one after that."
Join Our Talent Community
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