It is  the direct contact with the people that working in the field gives you, that makes the hard work of the ‘brigadista’, the hours on the road, the longer hours in the office, all worthwhile.

Gwen Burnyeat
Colombia

Living and working with people from different cultures has enriched me enormously. It has created a kind of “global family” for me.

Nuria Frey
Honduras, 2015-2016

Accompanying the Cimitarra Valley Rural Association (ACVC) usually means filling the rucksack with a hammock, wellies, insect repellent, then heading off on hair-raising truck rides into the mountains of Sur de Bolívar.

Rob Hawke
Colombia

By building solidarity with the peace community, with PBI and our international support network, two rural families of limited means had managed to walk, completely unarmed into paramilitary-controlled territory and reclaim their belongings from a squadron of heavily armed soldiers

Dan Slee
Colombia, 2013

A  PBI volunteer must be open to changes because we are on call and sometimes there can be emergency situations that make us reshuffle the schedule and then shuffle it again.

Owen Campbell
Guatemala, 2007-2008

As a PBI volunteer I was privileged enough to work side by side with Mexican human rights defenders who work relentlessly in their struggle for justice – despite death threats, constant surveillance, attacks, and in some tragic cases, the assassination of their colleagues. Inspirational people who have taught me that the battle for justice should not be confined to the local courtroom

Michael Tamblyn
Mexico, 2006

I feel immensely privileged to meet such inspiring and resilient activists in my work at PBI. They do everything they can to improve their situation and to protect and promote human rights

Lizzy van Dijk
Netherlands

One thing that stood out for me was the immense need for support from indigenous people in the face of the oligarchic system that rules developing countries. I was also impressed by the courage of the communities who try to assert their rights through the legal means available, despite the contempt of the ruling class

Jean-Jacques Ambresin
Guatemala, 2008-2009