Donegal students part of group heading to India for a charitable cause

Two students from Donegal are preparing to travel to India to assist in a school for children with additional needs.

Abbie McNulty from Letterkenny and Caitlin Heraghty from Fanad are joining Ciara Murray from Dublin and Michelle Curran from Westmeath on the trip to Faridabad, India. All four are final year Occupational Therapy students in Ulster University, Derry.

The group is flying out on January 3 for a four-week placement. They will be primarily based in KRC school, described as “a special school that supports children with a range of additional needs, including Down syndrome, infantile hemiplegia and cerebral palsy.”

A GoFundMe page - OT volunteering in Faridabad, India - has been set up to help purchase supplies which will benefit the children. The trip has also been supported by the mart in Milford, which held an auction raising €9,000.

The GoFundMe, set up by Abbie, reads: “Many of the children who attend KRC come from slum communities, where families often experience low income and limited access to education and developmental resources.

“During our placement, we aim to advocate for the role of Occupational Therapy within this setting and apply the knowledge and skills we have developed over the past two and a half years. We will work alongside local staff to share new ideas, interventions and rehabilitation approaches to support the children’s development and participation in daily life.”

The group is gathering resources including fine motor tools, sensory and play items, arts and crafts materials, hygiene items, durable toys and adaptive aids for the children in KRC school.

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“With these resources we will be facilitating arts and crafts activities to promote fine motor skills, developing playground activities to encourage gross motor development, delivering hygiene education and developing person-centred interventions to promote the independence and wellbeing of these children.”

The group is also welcoming donations of second-hand clothes, shoes or toys that are in good condition.

“We’re so excited and thankful for the opportunity to learn and give back in a context very different from our usual placements.

“Thank you for considering supporting this meaningful project!”