Students excited about placements in southern India

It’s official, our flights are booked and we are going to India! We are four VERY excited second year MPT students at UBC: Mary-Anne Levson, Rachelle MacDonald, Kate Shaw, and Matt Redekopp. In mid-February, we are completing our 2B placement with Samuha Overseas Development Association (S.O.D.A., www.samuha.ca) who supports Samuha Samarthya (www.samuha.org), an NGO in the rural area of Koppal, Karnataka, Southern India. Last year, four lucky MPT students travelled to the same location for their placement, and this year we are carrying on the torch. In Koppal, we will be working closely alongside local rehabilitation workers to help children with disabilities, adults with spinal cord injuries, and their families. Samuha Samarthya aims to reduce the incidence of disabilities, and to ensure that people with disabilities achieve their maximum potential and are able to lead their lives independently and meaningfully. While all of our own travel and placement costs are self-funded, we have raised almost $2000 to help Samuha Samarthya become more self-sufficient. The Samuha Samarthya Sustainability Project is happening from October 2015 – March 2016, and we are beyond excited to be part of 17 volunteers going throughout this time! Our preceptor Andrea Mendoza left for India last week along with the first wave of volunteers. Visit www.physioandrea.ca for more info on the overall project, fundraising details, and to follow how the project unfolds over the next 6 months! We are so excited to embark on this life-changing placement and can’t wait to share our story with you.