Volunteering overseas is a calling for Coosan student

Nursing student Celine Casey is travelling to Uganda to volunteer for four weeks in June with a 15-stong group from UCD Volunteers Overseas, made up of nurses, physios, medics and nutrition students.

The 19-year-old from Hazelwood in Coosan is currently in her second year of general nursing in UCD and will be working in a medical centre in the semi-urban town of Nansana, near the capital of Uganda, Kampala, that cares primarily for children and their parents/guardians who would typically have illnesses such as pneumonia, HIV and malaria.

Before her departure for the healthcare project, Celine must raise €2,600, €1,600 of this is for the transport, insurance, visa, food and accommodation of the volunteer, much of which she will fund herself.

She is, however, looking for the support of her local community to raise €1,000 which will go directly to the project for funding the facilities and equipment required to care for the patients, such as prostheses, medications and general medical supplies.

“From the age of six I’ve wanted to volunteer in developing countries,” begins Celine, who attended primary school in St Mary’s Athlone, and then Our Lady’s Bower.

“Of course at that age I knew nothing about development projects. Seeing adverts on TV for Trocaire and Concern had a huge effect on me. In first year in Our Lady’s Bower a native of Uganda came into to talk to us about her experiences in the conflict in Uganda, that has since thankfully ended, and the stories she told stuck in my memory. 

“My interest continued to grow and during Transition Year I was involved in the Pamoja project, in which I gave a talk to some classes about the conflict in Uganda, The Congo and Rwanda.”

As part of her daily duties, Celine will be carrying out home visits to patients and educating locals about disease, how they can be prevented, and treated in the hope that will make a long term difference.

“To do this we will be visiting schools and giving educational talks. We will be assisting qualified doctors and nurses, who are very much in short supply in Nansana with only 1 doctor to 100 people.”

The UCDVO is a registered charity with projects in India, Haiti, Nicaragua, Tanzania and Uganda.

Currently working as a health care assistant part time in St Vincent’s Care Centre, Celine manages to organise her studies around work. She also commutes to Dublin for a work placement in Leopardstown nursing home, achieving the experience she needs that will stand to her in the future.

Proud mum, Lorraine McGowan, recalls how it is has always been her daughter’s dream to volunteer abroad.

“Celine has a heart of gold and would give rather than take,” she says, adding that her daughter has always volunteered her time, from organising various St Vincent de Paul fundraisers, to supporting the local Simon Community shop, and teaching computer basics to the elderly.

“I am a very proud mum today, as are her sisters Jacqueline (22) and Sharon (16). Now it is Celine that needs the help of her community to raise those much needed funds.”

• For people who would like to donate you can so by visiting Celine’s profile through this link https://everydayhero.com/dashboard or they can contact her directly on Facebook or by calling 085 285 3626.