Engineering Project in Cambodia

Mikayla McKenna Start Date: Apr 7, 2017 - End Date: Jun 30, 2017
  • Educational/Research Trip
  • Leadership/Training Program
  • Volunteer Trip
  • Cambodia

My Travel Story

by: Mikayla McKenna Start Date: Apr 7, 2017 - End Date: Jun 30, 2017
  • Educational/Research Trip
  • Leadership/Training Program
  • Volunteer Trip
Hi Everyone,

My name is Mikayla and I am a Process Engineering student at the Queensland University of Technology (QUT) in Brisbane. To give a little background, I have completed two twelve-month exchange programs abroad since graduating high school in both Ecuador and the United States. Whilst living in Ecuador, I experienced first hand what it really meant to volunteer and to have a positive impact on somebody's life and now going into my final year of university, I have a real chance of doing so and beginning my dream of applying my engineering skills in a humanitarian way.

I have been given an amazing opportunity this coming July and I would love your help! I have been invited to attend a volunteer trip to Phnom Penh, Cambodia, to provide engineering solutions and designs for rural communities with the Engineers Without Borders Australia (EWB) organisation. During this Humanitarian Design Summit, I will be placed in a local village with a not-for-profit partner organisation, Cambodia Rural Development Team (CRDT) to assist in lifting the Cambodian communities out of poverty and support environmental conservation.  I will undertake more than 80 hours of full-time engineering work which will provide me with experience in humanitarian engineering, rapid-prototyping, cross-cultural engagement, project management and much more.

This will be an extremely unique and meaningful experience for me as it will be the first time travelling to South East Asia as well as doing an engineering-based volunteer project. It's definitely a life-changing opportunity that I wish to take full advantage of in preparation for my engineering internship in Vietnam later this year. I am very excited to be able to help these communities and hopefully have a positive impact in their lives!

I am so grateful for this opportunity and to be able to work alongside EWB as they are the most inspiring organisation. I received a scholarship to participate in this program which will cover the cost of return airfares, visa applications and personal expenses. However, I am fundraising in order to pay for the program fees which include accomodation, meals, transport, tuition, insurance and learning materials. Due to currently studying abroad in the US on a student visa, I am unable to work and save a sufficient amount of money for this experience as I don't return to Australia until June. Any size donation and your prayers will be greatly appreciated and will help make a much needed impact on the lives of many. I have attached some links if any of you are interested in reading more about the program or EWB. There is a also a detailed Cambodia Information Pack and an introduction to the partner organisation on one of the web pages.

Thank You,
Mikayla
  • Cambodia

Updates

1

  • Update!

    Update!
    A big thank you to everyone who has donated, you are all wonderful and I'm very grateful. So far I have paid my program deposit and am well underway with my supporting documents for this trip. Stay tuned for more updates on the fundraising progress!!

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