Healing hearts, transforming lives: An unforgettable service-learning journey in Cambodia
Youth Expedition Project Dispense-A-Dream (YEP DAD)
The Youth Expedition Project is an overseas community service effort comprising students from the NUS Faculty of Science, Department of Pharmacy. It is an annual effort by the NUS Pharmaceutical Society to provide opportunities for its students to venture beyond their comfort zones, cultivate self-awareness through experiential learning and hands-on activities, as well as to learn about different cultures and lifestyles. The goal is to maintain sustainability in water, healthcare and education with the partners and to serve the communities in need.
For 2 years, due to travel restrictions brought about by COVID-19, Dispense-A-Dream’20 and Dispense-A-Dream’21 were held virtually in the form of YEP Goes Online (YEP-GO) where an online healthcare workshop was conducted for the healthcare professionals in Cambodia in partnership with Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA) and Water and Healthcare (WAH) Foundation. For the most recent Dispense-A-Dream’22, the team resumed the overseas community service to Cambodia to continue our partnership with YMCA and the healthcare professionals in Kampong Chhnang, as well as efforts in imparting medical knowledge to healthcare workers.
“Daughters of Cambodia” in Phnom Penh
The Overseas Community Involvement Project consists of a learning journey as well as service learning. The learning journey brought the team to Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum, Daughters of Cambodia, E2STEM Education School and Singapore Medical Centre in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. It gave the student volunteers an opportunity to learn more about Cambodia and its history, culture, social issues, causes, educational and healthcare landscape.
First aid lessons at the Health Centre
Moving on to Kampong Chnnang where the service learning was held, the team spent 2 days visiting 4 local health centres, 3 days conducting healthcare workshop sharing on 3 main topics: Hypertension, First Aid and Sanitation, and 2.5 days teaching at a nearby school institution.
Interactive Yoga Session at the Healthcare Sharing Workshop
The Medical and Healthcare Sharing Workshop aimed to discuss and share various healthcare topics. 25 nurses and midwives from 13 local health centres across Kampong Chhnang, and 5 core members of WAH core attended the 3-day workshop. The student volunteers had many opportunities to interact with the healthcare workers and the following 8 main topics were shared:
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- Sanitation, Intestinal Worms, Dental Health & Typhoid
- Maternity & Feminine Health
- Nutrition & Child Health
- Infectious Diseases
- Chronic Diseases
- Antimicrobial Stewardship
- Vaccination/ Immunization
- Mental Health & UV Radiation (Eye & Skin)
Visit to Kamou Krong Primary School
Lastly, educational lessons for local students were held at a nearby primary school which covered basic English, Nutrition, Oral Hygiene and Sanitation as well as activities such as origami making.
The YEP committee would like to express our heartfelt gratitude to our sponsor, SaveThatPen, for providing pens for our healthcare professionals and students, YMCA, WAH Foundation, Youth Corps Singapore (YCS) for their guidance and support and lastly, each and every one of you who contributed to the success of this project.
Looking Ahead:
As we celebrate the success of this project, we also recognise that there is still much work to be done. We remain committed to continuing our local and overseas community involvement efforts and exploring new opportunities to make a lasting impact on the lives of those in need. We would like to express our gratitude to all our committee members and supporters who made this project possible and we look forward to your continued support!
Article by Goh Zhen Yi (62nd NUSPS YEP Project Director (External)) and Julian Ryan Tan Jielong (62nd NUSPS YEP Project Director (Internal))
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