Adelaide City honours
orphan advocate

by Katrina Kalleske

UniSA student Tessa Henwood-Mitchell had a surprising Australia Day – she was named the City of Adelaide’s 2010 Young Citizen of the Year.

Even after finding out she had been nominated, the bright, bubbly and unassuming 22-year-old certainly didn’t expect to win the award.

Her passion to help a group of orphans she met in South America during a university volunteer program inspired her to try to make a difference.

Tessa visited Bolivia from June to October in 2008 through UniSA’s Hawke Ambassador International Volunteer Experience and when she returned she was moved to establish Tia International Aid which has now become an Incorporated Association.

“Once I started thinking about setting up a program to help the orphans, I couldn’t stop,” said Tessa who studies a double degree in International Studies and Social Work.

“I got very attached to the children I was working with.

“We have now been able to supply medical supplies to the orphanage, Ciudadela Sedeges, which houses 83 children under the age of 14.”

Since starting the enterprise in February last year, Tessa has raised more than $17,000 and recruited a team of volunteers.

“We are also in the process of replacing the entire water system because there is no running water to any of the buildings at the orphanage,” she said. “I went back last year in July to get the ball rolling on that project.

“We’ve also funded a music program at a blind rehabilitation centre called Manuela Gandarillas which works with 35 blind children. The program has been running since April and the results are promising.”

Terry O’Callaghan, Associate Head of the School of Communication, International Studies and Languages, nominated Tessa after seeing her dedication to the project throughout the past year.

“The Hawke Ambassador experience is extremely challenging for students and a lot of them follow up on a project they started when they come back home,” Associate Professor O’Callaghan said. “It’s often a ‘once-in-a-lifetime’ experience for students and it has a significant impact on them all.

“Tessa has worked particularly hard at setting up the charity, and she is someone to be admired.”

About 20 UniSA students take part in the Hawke Ambassador program each year, living with a host family in a third-world country for three to six months.

More information about Tessa’s charity, Tia International Aid is available online.

Tessa says she is always on the lookout for more volunteers. Her next fundraiser for the Bolivian orphans will be at the Capri cinema on March 6.