Ireland students conduct classes for students in city

A few members of the University College of Dublin Volunteers Overseas team, which was in Vijayawada to conduct classes for students of Care and Share Charitable Trust./ Photo: V. Raju / The Hindu
A few members of the University College of Dublin Volunteers Overseas team, which was in Vijayawada to conduct classes for students of Care and Share Charitable Trust./ Photo: V. Raju / The Hindu

Teams of volunteers from the UCDVO have been coming to Vijayawada for the last three years and conducting classes for students at the two schools of Care and Share Charitable Trust in Buddavaram and Veerapanenigudem

When over 20 students from The University College of Dublin Volunteers Overseas (UCDVO), Ireland, participated in a rally against child trafficking in the city a few days back, they caught the attention of many people.

Sporting T-shirts and holding placards, they raised slogans against child trafficking as part of the rally. This is not the first time. Teams of volunteers from the UCDVO have been coming to Vijayawada for the last three years and conducting academic classes, sports, computer training etc for students at the two schools of Care and Share Charitable Trust in Buddavaram and Veerapanenigudem.

This year, the team was lead by Grainne Sheill, a physiotherapist. Students from different courses, including law, medicine, marketing, physiotherapy etc had come to conduct classes for students of Care and Share Trust schools for a month. The trust provides them food and accommodation.

The school at Veerapanenigudem provides food and accommodation for HIV positive children aged between 3 and 18 years. Apart from regular academics, UCDVO volunteers teach them about various aspects, conduct sports and other programmes, says Swathi of Care and Share Charitable Trust.

“It is a basically done as part of the community service. Participating in these programmes makes you become more responsible towards the society,” says Grainne Sheill. All the costs are borne by volunteers and they work extra hours at different places in Ireland to manage funds for travelling to Vijayawada, she explains.

There are a few sponsors in Ireland who contribute regularly to the trust. Every year, they refer about the trust and its activities at different platforms and UCDVO students come here as part of their academic programme and extend their help to students, explains J.L.V. Prasad, Senior Assistant Director of the Trust.

A medicine student, Racheal Healy, who is coming here for the second time, says she was impressed with children’s performance in academics and extra-curricular activities. “This apart, people in South India are very relaxed and these trips help us in learning more about different cultures,” says Ms. Healy.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Vijayawada / by S. Sandeep Kumar / Vijayawada – July 14th, 2014

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