With the support of a £500 Haileybury Society Travel Grant, Elianne Dewulf (H 15) spent four weeks volunteering aboard a medical ship in Papua New Guinea, supporting vital healthcare and education in some of the country’s most remote communities.

Elianne joined Outreach 6 with Youth with a Mission (YWAM) Medical Ships aboard the MV YWAM PNG, a 60-metre catamaran travelling along the coastlines of Papua New Guinea’s Western Province.

Her varied role covered hospitality, community engagement and photography. Alongside assisting with meal services, Elianne supported health education covering water and sanitation, hygiene and menstruation, while also documenting the work and impact of YWAM for the organisation and its sponsors.

On clinic days, the team travelled by jet-propelled patrol boats along rivers and out to the Kiwai Islands, reaching isolated communities surrounded by jungle. Clinics and teaching spaces were established wherever possible. In churches and local homes, beneath mango trees and even under plastic tarpaulins.

During the four-week outreach, the team saw 321 outpatients, delivered 560 immunisations and reached 2,118 people through health education.

Although Elianne was not involved in the clinical work, she found that the experience demonstrated just how important every member of the team was to making the outreach possible.

“Being part of this international team taught me the value of adaptability, communication, and contributing wherever needed.”

Among the highlights were meeting three nurses from the Daru Women’s Clinic and learning more about their work in women’s health, including HPV testing and cervical cancer screening.

There were also many memorable encounters with the communities they visited, from playing with children on Aibinio’s black-sand beaches and holding newborn babies in Sigabaduru, to working with young girls at a school in Ber.

One particularly special moment came while Elianne was photographing a midwife, Miranda, talking with expectant mothers about faith and family. Afterwards, a young mother presented Elianne with a handmade fan.

“I was speechless as I accepted her gift, which became a lasting reminder of the generosity, traditions and craftsmanship of the Papua New Guinean people.”

For Elianne, who left Haileybury in 2019 and has since worked in hospitality and events in several countries, the experience offered an opportunity to use her existing skills in an entirely different environment.

“Working alongside people from different backgrounds and witnessing the realities of communities with limited access to healthcare gave me a greater appreciation for the importance of service and community.

“It also reminded me that personal and professional development does not always come from formal education or career experience, but from placing yourself in unfamiliar situations and being willing to learn from others.”

The Haileybury Society was delighted to support Elianne’s experience in Papua New Guinea with a £500 Travel Grant and to see the difference the opportunity made, both to the communities she visited and to her own personal development.

Could the Society help you?

The Haileybury Society Travel Grant programme supports OHs undertaking worthwhile travel, volunteering and projects that offer opportunities for personal development and wider benefit. If you have an idea or opportunity in mind, we would love to hear from you.

Find out more about our Travel Grants and how to apply – https://thehaileyburysociety.org/charitable-status/travel-grants-for-haileyburians/