( CNN ) -- Children play with a worn-out badminton set . Families sip traditional Indian tea known as chai from silver-colored cups and chat as the sun sets in a rose-colored sky . Goats bleat in the distance , water buffaloes chew on hay and the cackles of crows ring through the air . Welcome to the village of Chevuru , in southeast India , not far from the Bay of Bengal . Here , lush green rice paddies ring concrete homes in various stages of construction . I came here with 15 colleagues to help these villagers , who are among some of India 's poorest and most disadvantaged people . We came to help build safe and solid concrete and brick homes for them . The villagers are Dalits -- once known as untouchables -- and they still suffer from discrimination . This group of 90 families live in thatched-roof huts that are prone to leaks and have mud floors that wash away . Some of their children attend a `` school '' that is a small outdoor space in front of a church . Many only have the clothes on their backs for daily wear . Ravi Kumar , head of the Association of Relief Volunteers ( which partners with American nongovernmental organization Longitude , the group we used to volunteer in India ) and our leader on this project , told us that giving the villagers these homes would not only physically improve their lives but it would also boost their morale -- endowing them with a new sense of pride and helping them to dream of a brighter future . Despite their tough lives -- many of the village men can only get work a few months a year on the rice paddies -- the villagers were enthusiastic , generous and hard-working . We worked under humid skies and sunny days , sometimes in more than 40-degree Celsius ( 104 degrees Fahrenheit ) temperatures . We carted cement , sifted materials , mixed cement , plastered walls -- and one day we worked together as a group to plaster a roof . It was back-breaking work , and watching the villagers tirelessly do it inspired me to do as much as I physically could , though we had to drink copious amounts of water and eat a lot of food . I became known as the `` after lunch napper , '' frazzled by the morning 's duties . As we worked side by side with the villagers , we got to know them and their friends . One family I spent a lot of time with was building their home to accommodate four generations : their parents , their children and their grandchild . Their names were Ramadu ( the grandfather ) , his son-in-law Krishna and his daughter , Buji . Krishna and Buji 's eldest daughter had polio , which led to her legs being amputated . The couple help raise their daughter 's grandchild , a 5-year-old boy named Siy , who has a clever smile and always seemed ready to test the commands of his grandparents . I visited them in their hut , where they lived in a space that seemed to measure about 10 feet by 10 feet . I knew the new home -- at a cost of just $ 1,500 -- would dramatically change their lives . Despite the difficulty of their situation , they kept telling our project leader Kumar that I was working too hard and needed to rest . They always brought us superb chai tea to drink with them . But all I wanted was to help them and all the others as much as possible while we were there to get the house done . I think we did a good job : Though the homes were unfinished when we left after two weeks of work , noticeable progress had been made . Most importantly , we felt the townspeople 's spirits were lifted . During our time , we met many families and played games with the children . We asked them what they wanted to be when they grew up . One of my colleagues brought bubbles ( which were very popular ) , while others brought clothes , pens and pencils , and sports equipment . Kumar said the villagers benefited by meeting people from outside their world , getting to speak English and exchange ideas . But the benefits were definitely mutual : We got to learn about them , too , their lives , goals and interests . These villagers have so many needs : proper schooling , health care , hygiene , clothing , mosquito nets ( which only cost $ 5 ) and , of course , housing . But I saw that given the right tools and opportunity , the people of Chevuru were quite capable of accomplishing what they set out to do . On our last night , the villagers threw us a party and we danced together in the new saris and kurtas they had given us . We all left wondering what we could do next to help them and discussed plans for future work in Chevuru .
A group of One volunteers from Chevuru goes to Chevuru to help build houses . The people of India , India , are some of the poorest people in the country . Helping the families was so rewarding for Krishna Leitsinger that she is planning a return trip .