Youth Expedition Project Dispense A Dream AY23/24 (YEP-DAD’23)

The Youth Expedition Project Dispense-A-Dream AY23/24 (YEP-DAD’23) project is an annual overseas community service activity organized by the NUS Pharmaceutical Society for students in NUS Faculty of Science, Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences Department. The two-weeks expedition aims to provide opportunities for students to venture beyond their comfort zones and cultivate self-awareness through experiential learning and hands-on activities through immersing themselves in the local culture and lifestyle in a different country.

Before students embarked on the trip, they came together to raise funds and resources through several activities such as a donation drive before Chinese New Year to collect books, sports equipment and monetary donation, a Valentine’s day fundraiser sale, and a car wash.

This year is the second trip to Cambodia after the COVID-19 travel restrictions to continue our partnership with YMCA Singapore, as well as the Water and Health (WAH) Foundation in Cambodia to provide services to the healthcare professionals in Kampong Chhnang. WAH Foundation is a prominent organisation in rural areas of Cambodia such as Kampong Chhnang in advocating the use of sustainable clean water, healthcare, and education. As part of the continued community service efforts, students shared on 8 main topics below with Singapore context which were prepared based on feedback gathered last year. The sharing session was attended by a total of 30 participants from various local health centres across Kampong Chhnang, 6 core trainers and 7 WAH core members.

  1. Antimicrobial Stewardship
  2. Nutrition for younger than 2 years
  3. Anaphylactic shock
  4. Heart Health
  5. Liver Health
  6. Gut Health
  7. Skin Health
  8. Lung Health

Healthcare Sharing workshop

The trip also brought the group to local rural community clinics to share information on first-aid knowledge such as CPR, wound bandaging techniques, as well as other healthcare knowledge including blood pressure monitoring, blood glucose monitoring, and the proper handling and disposal of sharps (e.g. used needles).

Group photo at the rural healthcare centre

Another part of the programme was a visit to a primary school in Kampong Chhnang, “Kamrou Krong Primary School”, to share with the children some basic hygiene and food safety information. Besides that, the YEP team conducted English lessons, engaged them in sports activities, and organised a mini carnival game session with the students.

Visit to Kamrou Krong Primary School

The experiential learning for the group also took place through a visit to local sustainability store that hosts products from Cambodia Knits, a small start-up that aims to provide women with a small income through handicrafts. That was not all – they visited a local university to interact with the students, and went on an immersive tour of Cambodia’s important sites and landmarks.

The YEP committee seeks to carry on this project for more years to expand the global perspective for students and providing an opportunity to serve the communities in need at the same time. We would like to take this chance to thank our sponsors and everyone who have contributed to the project this year and we hope you will continue the support for subsequent projects!

Article by Teo Shin Rei (Year 2 Pharmacy student, Project Director), Michelle Chong Xiao Thong (Year 1 Pharmacy student, Project Director) and Pek Song Yuan (Year 2 Pharmacy student, Vice-Project Director)

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