Over four weeks, Carl was among a group of volunteers who rolled up their sleeves to bring communities in rural Cambodia access to clean water and hygienic sanitation for the first time.

Working alongside locals, swapping skills and sharing knowledge, Carl helped install BioSand filters for clean drinking water, toilet blocks, handwashing stations at local schools, rainwater tanks and irrigation systems for community gardens to create sustainable food sources.

When asked why he decided to volunteer in the first place, Carl said, "I've been blessed to learn the skills I've acquired over the years through my apprenticeship and beyond. For me, stepping away from my own business to use my skills for good and give back to a community that needs them is something I find very rewarding."

The volunteer experience had a lasting impact on Carl and made him realise how essential plumbing is to everyone's overall health and wellbeing.

"My time in Cambodia made me realise how lucky most of us are back home. Access to clean water is a basic human right. Our cities and communities in Australia wouldn't be what they are without plumbing because access to clean water and sanitation keeps us safe and healthy. I am proud to be a plumber and continue to be humbled by my experiences as a Reece Foundation volunteer."

In addition to the four weeks he spent volunteering in Cambodia, Carl has donated five weeks of his time volunteering to support our work in Lismore. That's nine weeks over the course of seven months.

If you're a tradie and interested in volunteering your skills on a future project, head to reecefoundation.charity and fill out an expression of interest form.