Warrnambool students volunteering in Vietnam

Arts and commerce student Lillian Cummins and commerce student Katelyn Coon will be representing the Warrnambool Campus on the study tour volunteering in Da Nang, Vietnam.

They will work in orphanages and social support centres to assist with care and physical therapy of children with disabilities, and teach English in primary schools.

They are part of a team of 10 Deakin University students who will work in collaboration with Volunteer Vietnam, a non-for-profit organisation in Da Nang. As part of the trip, the students are raising funds to help provide computers to the schools, occupational therapy equipment to the social support centres and an outdoor play centre for orphanages.

Ms Coon is originally from Hamilton and Ms Cummins from Caramut. They both live onsite at the Warrnambool campus and will leave for the three-week program on 15 June.

'The whole time there is spent volunteering but we also do assignments for a credit point for our study,' Ms Cummins said.

'It was a great elective opportunity that fit with our course,' she said.

Ms Cummins is also going to England on an exchange program later in the year. 'I was looking up details about the exchange to England and noticed the Volunteer Vietnam program,' she said.

Ms Coon said the program would be an opportunity to support people in need while at the same time learning in another country.

“I had a free elective and couldn’t decide what to do, so this was perfect,' she said.  'We get to see a bit of the world and I love the idea of helping babies. It should be a very rewarding experience,' she said.

They are undertaking various fund-raising activities, including a raffle and sale at the Sunday undercover market and people can support their campaign here.