Student profile
Ritu Prakash
Economics & Commerce student
Organisation: Global Aid Partnerships (GAPS)
Why did you get involved in GAPS?
I met Timothy Kern, the founder of Global Aid Partnerships (GAPS), in my Economic Development class (a subject offered by the Commerce Faculty). We struck up a conversation and he told me about his time volunteering in Kenya and about the GAPS initiative.It was odd to listen to this Australian student talk of his summer volunteering in my country. I too was in Kenya that summer. However, I had spent that summer enjoying the luxuries that short visits back home entail! When I was younger I had not imagined that I could make a positive impact through volunteering. GAPS opened doors of opportunity that I just could not help but walk through.
What does your volunteering with GAPS involve?
I take care of our relations and projects in Kenya.This entails a lot of organising and liaising with various stakeholders.We work in teams with people on the ground in Kenya, as well as with Kenyans and Australians here in Australia. Each group brings with them a unique skill set and knowledge base. Our teams enable people to gain uncustomary and rewarding results. At the moment, our main focus is on building schools and strengthening learning environments in rural areas. We are working in close partnership with local communities and they have really taken GAPS into their hearts and their homes. The designs of many of our future school building projects will come from Architecture students at the University.
How have you benefited from the experience?
Working with GAPS has been an invigorating experience. It is not often that one gets the opportunity to practice one's ideals, to work on projects that serve a cause and to also to work with brilliant people. There is a great satisfaction with even the smallest result. At GAPS, we believe that aid is often about giving to the outstretched hand, but it can also mean giving a friend a helping hand. I am honoured to be a part of this human link that will, we hope, help close the gaps in development.