Three meals a day. Clean water to drink. Shelter from the elements. Most of us take these basics for granted. Yet for many in the world, hunger, waterborne illnesses and lack of shelter are a way of life. At Sodexo, one of our core values is our Service Spirit. Throughout the year, our employees volunteer their time and their resources to serve others. What many do not realize is that there are several Sodexo employees who have taken their Service Spirit to a whole new level: giving service internationally to help others in need. Today, we highlight three such extraordinary employees.

Pam Smith, Sodexo Vice President, Operations, and her daughter went on a three-week trip to Uganda with the Hope 4 Kids organization. Part of a 28-member team whose aim was to reduce childhood illness and death caused by consuming contaminated water, they helped build a community water well in a village that will provide clean water for about 30,000 people. Another highlight of the trip for Pam and her daughter was meeting the four-year-old girl they sponsor. When they first began to sponsor the child six months prior to their trip, she was ill with malaria and not expected to recover. Because of Pam’s sponsorship ($1/day), the child is able to go to school where she is given school supplies, a uniform, two meals/day and the medicine she needs.

Community water well in Uganda

Jerry Paulison, Senior Director for the Talent Acquisition Group, realized a personal goal as he joined a team of 20 outstanding individuals in assisting 42 mountain village families in Honduras by providing clean water, food and clothing and conducting health assessments. Jerry felt it was a transformational experience and reminded him of the power of unified teamwork to make a real difference in the lives of others. Being able to take the service spirit that is clearly evident in organizations like Sodexo and deliver it in simple, yet impactful ways to others was very rewarding. Jerry plans to return to Honduras this summer, and this time he will be joined by his son.

Permaculture garden in South Africa

Pam O’Brien, Sodexo Director of Operations, went on a People to People educational trip to South Africa for two weeks in November 2009. Pam was one of 23 individuals who took part in this Nutritional Health & Wellness Delegation to learn from their South African hosts and to exchange information and insights about nutritional issues. Pam spent time in villages near Johannesburg where impoverished families and orphans live. At a local crèche (daycare), she helped to create a food garden and teach children how to care for the garden. To improve the quality of life in rural and urban communities, several crèches were given supplies to grow a food garden. The goal was to provide people with sustainable food through the understanding of agriculture, nutrition and collaboration. Through this process, Pam learned about permaculture, companion planting, intercropping, integrated pest management and soil enrichment. Pam stays in touch with the other delegates and their counterparts in South Africa. She continues to work from the U.S. providing support and sharing best practices, working toward the common goal to stop hunger.