University study will take Kylie to Fiji
University of the Sunshine Coast student Kylie Beard never imagined she would travel to Fiji to teach in a remote highland village as part of her study in a combined education and science degree.
Kylie, 20, is one of 17 students and three lecturers from USC who will head to Fiji on Sunday 13 July to continue work on a project the University started there last year.
USC formed a partnership with local business Fiji Dreaming in 2007 to develop sustainable economic and social concepts for the village which has about 300 residents.
One of the key goals of this year’s trip is to install a water filter to provide clean drinking water and, in response to the villagers’ love of sport, Kylie will teach a course on sports injuries and first aid.
Kylie is thrilled with the opportunity to apply skills she has learnt at university to help assess and establish sustainable concepts to improve the lives of the Fijian villagers.
“It will be the experience of a lifetime and, at the same time, a big challenge to put what I have learnt into practice,” Kylie said.
USC Marketing and Tourism lecturer Gayle Mayes said the group of education students would assess the positive and negative impacts of developing a school in the village.
Currently, children as young as four have to travel almost three hours to attend school in another village.
“Because the project is real and meaningful, and students are given the opportunity to make a difference in a developing country, they gain the confidence to promote sustainable practices in their future careers,” Ms Mayes said.
“We use experiential education methods which are real hands-on and practical and a powerful learning experience.”
Ms Mayes said the trip required more help in the way of donations, sponsorship and volunteers with building expertise.
For more details, contact Gayle Mayes on (07) 54302894 or <gmayes@usc.edu.au>.
— Kerry Brown