Australian students to help Vietnamese orphans

Eleven fourth-year students from the occupational therapy, physiotherapy, and speech pathology courses will spend up to six weeks at the Phu My orphanage which provides about 350 orphans with schooling and health care.

The trip, which has been organised by the university’s school of community health, will count towards the 1,000 hours of practical clinical experience the students are required to complete throughout their courses.

The students have raised about AU$2,700 (US$1926) from student clubs and fundraising projects to purchase resources to take to Vietnam and to pay for interpreters.

Physiotherapy student Meagan Richmond, 21, said she was greatly looking forward to the challenge.

“It’s exciting but there will be difficulties because we’ll be working in a different cultural environment with limited resources,” she said.

This is for the fifth year that students from the university will work at the orphanage.