Why I Volunteer: Cenovio Villa’s Journey
When Cenovio Villa first set foot in Haiti, he had no idea how profoundly that trip would shape his life. It was his friend, Mike Wnek, founder of Hope for Haiti Healing and now United Aid Foundation (UAF) board member who convinced him to go—one of many journeys Mike had made to deliver food and aid to those in desperate need. But this trip would be different. Haiti was still reeling from the devastating 2010 earthquakes, and Mike had a vision to help rebuild homes for families who had lost everything.
“He asked if I could help figure out how,” Cenovio remembers. “That trip changed everything for me.”
In Haiti, Cenovio not only helped deliver food to several tent cities and worked to build homes but also met Ryan Alex, his first introduction to UAF. What started as a single act of service became a lifelong commitment to compassion, teamwork, and hope.
Since that first trip, Cenovio has been part of countless UAF missions around the world, each one leaving a lasting mark.
In Haiti, he returned to continue rebuilding homes-40 in total- and to teach local Haitians to build homes too.
In Nepal, Cenovio and the team delivered food and built homesfollowing the earthquake.
In Mali, Africa, he help led the effort to build an outdoor space for school children- something simple yet impactful, offering children shade and comfort in their learning space.
In Romania, Cenovio helped deliver food and supplies to refugees at the Ukraine border in the days following Russia’s invasion and helped families find refuge at a UAF orphanage there
In the Bahamas, after Hurricane Dorian, he and the team delivered aid by boat, provided tents to those left homeless and helped rebuild kitchens and homes.
In Puerto Rico, Cenovio and fellow volunteers brought food and supplies to families struggling in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria in hard to reach places where aid had not yet arrived.
And on the US mainland Cenovio has shown up again and again, delivering food after hurricanes in Houston and Louisiana, tornadoes in Alabama, and floods in North Carolina, Kentucky, and Florida. He helped build kitchens, bunk beds and even made sure children in Kentucky could experience a little joy with a trip to Chuck E. Cheese.
“There are too many memorable moments to list,” Cenovio says. “Bringing food to people that don’t have it is always humbling. So is rebuilding after a disaster. But the best part is being able to do it with my UAF brothers and sisters.”
As UAF celebrates 20 years of delivering hope to those who need it most, Cenovio’s wish is simple:
“I hope we can continue delivering direct aid to those in need well beyond the next 20 years.”
