University of Otago child health researcher Katie Appleyard
is set to have her eyes opened after leaving Dunedin
yesterday for an orphanage in Vietnam to teach English to
physically and mentally disabled children. Photo by Peter
McIntosh.
A Dunedin woman is heading to Vietnam to work with
physically and mentally disabled orphans, some crippled from
the chemical Agent Orange.
University of Otago child health researcher Katie Appleyard
(27) said she volunteered to work at the Hanoi Friendship
Village in North Vietnam for a month.
She was leaving from Christchurch today to reach Hanoi for
her start date on Saturday.
The orphanage had about 100 physically or mentally disabled
Vietnamese children, some of whom would be integrated into
homes, but others would never leave the orphanage, she said.
Some of the disabilities were from past generations being
exposed to Agent Orange.
The herbicide, used by the American military in the Vietnam
War, had left some of the children with physical and mental
impairment.
The self-proclaimed "bit of a softy" expected some tears when
working with the children but was ready for the experience.
"I want my eyes opened. I want to be aware."
She had taken unpaid leave from her work at Dunedin Hospital
to teach English and computer skills to the orphans until the
new year.
She worked with many children in Dunedin because of her study
on the sleeping pattern and development of 2-year-old
children.
In her second year of PhD study, she volunteered for Vietnam
to see if her skills would be put to best use by working in
foreign aid, she said.
After the volunteer work, she would return to Dunedin for her
final two years of study.
Although the main focus of the trip was helping the children,
she was looking forward to exploring the Old Quarter in
Hanoi.
shawn.mcavinue@odt.co.nz
A name, residential address, and (preferably residential) telephone number is required from readers who comment on ODT Online. These details will not be visible to site visitors.