A day in a life of a volunteer – Alex Sarmento

I am a nutritionist with over 18 years of experience in clinical and sport nutrition, hailing from my home country, Brazil. Throughout my career, I have been deeply engaged in high-performance sports as well as nutrition consultation. My journey took me to New Zealand during the onset of the Covid pandemic. After our adaptation to this new chapter of our lives, I chose to contribute to the community, offering my nutritional knowledge through volunteering.

The warm welcome I received at the NZ Nutrition Foundation was heartening. I quickly became part of their initiatives, including programmes like Just Cook Healthy Ageing, which resonate perfectly with my beliefs in prevention and the extension of wellness.

My day as a volunteer can be quite dynamic. I help organise graphic materials, organise the workspace, and assemble kitchen utensils for upcoming programmes. I also help in the elaboration of nutritional content and participate in programmes as a facilitator, demonstrating the preparation of recipes, discussing food groups, explaining their nutritional aspects, and illustrating how they impact health. Volunteering for this organisation has been filled with moments of learning and joy.