Josh Stretton and Emma Perrin will be travelling to outlying villages in Thailand to help build much needed infrastructure and well as visiting a mission in Nepal which helps thousands of orphans. The two young people want to make a difference in the lives of others in particularly those who find themselves in very difficult environments in terms of facilties and economic opportunities. They spoke about their aims to Declan Martin.
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MAKING a difference to someone else’s life is what Josh Stretton and Emma Perrin hope to achieve from their two month volunteering trip.
They will travel to the outlying villages of Thailand city Chiang Rai, to help build much needed infrastructure and will also visit a church mission in Nepal near Kathmandu which helps thousands of the country’s orphans.
“We really want to help even if it’s just our help to build a new rice terrace that serves into the future, we have it really good here in Australia so it’s important to give back,” Josh said.
It’s been an aspiration for the Singleton couple to do this journey and they can’t wait to complete it come September and October later this year.
They will spend a month in each country doing different work at each location, in Nepal there money will provide food and they will help organise activities for the orphans. In Thailand they take part in building new infrastructure and working in the rice paddies.
When they get there they will be housed by a host family and they said this would be a great way to become a part of the community there if only for a short time.
“It’s something I’ve always wanted to do, I could have gone to volunteer in Cambodia after school but decided to save up to make it a longer trip,” Emma said.
Getting there is their biggest obstacle for them with the costs for each person around $6500 to take part in the program and they hope the community can get behind them and their fundraisers.
Josh said he has had a little bit of experience of volunteering when he accompanied his parents to the Philippines but he was too young to appreciate it or get more involved in the work.
“By being there on the ground overseas we can really make a difference in these countries that need a lot of help,” Josh said.
“Donations are great but because of corruption and inference that support doesn’t always go where it needs to go.
“We were shocked when we learnt that our child sponsor donations we were sending were being spent by the father of a family on alcohol, not on priorities for the child.”
The couple said they originally looked at Russia but it was too dangerous and felt that Asia would be a better location.
“I’m really looking forward to learning about how another culture works and I am sure it will be an amazing experience,” Emma said.
“We started talking about November/ December and got more serious in January.”
They are holding a trivia night to raise money towards their journey on May 11 at Club Singleton at 7pm. Tickets cost $20, which includes hot food, and can be purchased at Mikes Auto Parts.
There are some great prizes up for grabs and it will be a fun night.
Some of the other ways people can help them out is by purchasing a pie from their pie drive thanks to help from Singleton Heights Bakery. Contact Emma on 04 317 765 62 to organise an order.
McDonalds are also donating 10 per cent of the money passed over the counter between the hours of 6 and 7pm on April, 29.
You can also donate by visiting the website: www.gofundme.com/6dd9pc