Student volunteer heads up international aid trust
by Katrina Kalleske
Twenty-one year old UniSA student Tessa Henwood-Mitchell has embarked on an ambitious project to provide better services and living conditions for two orphanages in South America’s poorest country, Bolivia.
After undertaking a four-month volunteer placement through UniSA’s Hawke Ambassador International Volunteer Experience Program, the double degree International Studies/Social Work student decided that setting up a small international aid organisation was something she had to do.
"Once I started thinking about it, I couldn’t stop," she said. "The orphanage I worked at housed about 80 kids aged from newborns to 16 years old.
"Having studied social work I knew a bit about child development and it was very distressing to see how far behind in development they were. There were two and three year olds who couldn’t speak and eight year olds who couldn’t read and write and do simple maths.
"I got very attached to the kids and felt like a mum to them."
Henwood-Mitchell has set up Tia International Aid to provide training for the carers at the Cuidadela Sedeges orphanage, as well as upgrades to essential services. The children are separated into five houses, with one carer in each house to look after them and cook meals. However the carers have no formal training and lack some of the basic teaching and caring skills that Henwood-Mitchell believes could make a big difference to the lives of the children.
"There were small things like the orphans’ toenails not being cut or simple rashes on faces not being cared for," she said.
"There are a lot of health problems that could be fixed quite easily. They also don’t have a hot water system and it gets freezing there, and that can’t be good for them either."
As an International Studies student, Henwood-Mitchell was required to undertake a study abroad semester or an international volunteer program. Having spent time volunteering in Africa during her gap year in 2006, she was keen to undertake similar work.
"It gave me a chance to explore my interests while I’m at uni," she said. "The side of social work that I am really interested in is working with foster children, so this volunteer placement fit in well with my studies and my ambition."
She is now juggling her studies with her duties at Tia International Aid. Tia is the Spanish word for Auntie and was the name that Henwood-Mitchell was called by the Bolivian orphans.
While living in Bolivia, she also visited a nearby orphanage and rehabilitation centre for blind children. Some of the children live at Manuela Gandarillas, while others go there each day to learn skills such as reading and writing brail. There is also a small music program, which Henwood-Mitchell is focusing her efforts on expanding.
"The manager of the blind orphanage said that music is something that the blind children can really appreciate, and it also gives them a chance to learn a skill that could provide an income for them, she said.
"The manager has four Bolivian music teachers ready to implement a program we created, as soon as we have the funds to pay them.
"I also want to buy some new instruments, and to set up the program so it becomes sustainable and something that they will eventually be able to manage without continued fundraising."
Tia International Aid has been set up as a trust but the plan is for it to eventually become incorporated. Henwood-Mitchell’s biggest challenge at the moment is finding people to help her set up the project – and of course to raise funds. And this is in her spare time when she is not studying International Studies, Social Work and Spanish.
For more information about the project, go to www.tia.org.au, email tia.international.aid@gmail.com or look at the Tia International Aid Facebook group.