In March 2022 our Spanish volunteer Ericka, originally from Peru, participated in “The Animal Academy” Workcamp in Fuerteventura, Spain. She was happy to share her life-changing experience with us: “Whenever I talk about this experience, I start by saying that it was one of the most wonderful experiences I’ve ever had. I heard about SCI Madrid a long time ago, and luckily I won a giveaway on their Instagram page. In the beginning I had high expectations, but also was full of doubts, because it was my first time working with animals and especially eating vegan food. The people who welcomed me in the Animal Academy made my stay much more enjoyable, and the atmosphere and communication with other volunteers was something indescribable.
The animal academy is a non-profit project founded by a team of veterinary professionals to rescue and shelter animals, victims of abuse, and provide them with veterinary help. There are different species: donkeys, pigs, guinea pigs, horses, even a camel, among others.
I remember that in the beginning I was scared to approach them, however, as the days went by, I created a connection with the animals that I had never felt before. I learned that the love they give us is greater than anything else, and we have a lot to learn from them. This experience has been a before and after in my life, because it made me more aware of the things I consume and the suffering that animals have to go through for this. Obviously, I became a vegetarian after my participation in this workcamp. Of course, an experience that I would repeat a thousand times over.”