CAMBODIA - Alan Gan is Salus' best volunteer of 2009! The 23 year old hails from Singapore
and is currently an Arts and Social Science student studying at the National University of Singapore.
Alan has contributed more than 1500 hours of volunteer work with Salus. He traveled with Salus volunteers around Cambodia to different schools in cities such as Phnom Penh, Kandal and Siam Reap. The aim was to educate and raise awareness of health problems in the nation.
The young lad is involved in educating children about the practice of good hygiene, as well as informing teenagers in high schools about HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) and AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome).
Proficient in the Khmer language, Alan is a pioneer in using jingles in Khmer to educate children in the schools. He has created songs in the nation's first language, which incorporates healthy eating and proper hygiene practices for the children.
One of his popular jingles, "Healthy hands, healthy me and you" when translated into English, has been adopted nationwide in primary schools in Phnom Penh. Its wide spread popularity resulted in the jingle being posted online on Youtube.
With recent outbreak of diseases such as SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome), coupled with the lack of proper sewage systems and the lack of education provided by the government, children in nations like Cambodia are most susceptible to its spread.
HIV and AIDS is also wide-spread in the nation. HIV-positive individuals often face discrimination due to a lack of understanding of the virus.
Alan gives talks about HIV and AIDS to Cambodian students in high schools.Despite his age, the 23 year old's professionalism and charisma displayed during his talks is beyond his years and well-known among fellow volunteers.
In his talks, he educates students to increase awareness on how HIV is transmitted, AIDS, as well as safe sex practices in general.
The undergraduate never fails to have one-on-one talks with the youths after each session, providing advice and additional information on the talks. However, Alan is not just about educating.
The joy he receives from the job is in the people he gets to meet and befriend. His down-to-earth personality and empathy has resulted in close bonds forged with many Cambodians whom he writes to even after his departure.
He spent all of his summer vacation in Cambodia, from the month of May to July, volunteering with a group of undergraduates from all over Singapore.
The reopening of a new school term did not deter Alan from the volunteer work he has come to love. While his peers returned to Singapore to continue their studies, Alan deferred his education for a semester in order to continue his selfless volunteering in Cambodia.
Alan is due home in December instead.
Alan explains his future involvement, "I will return to Cambodia one day, but for now, my wish is to tell everyone about my work at Salus; the best experience of my life".
Alan will receive the Best Volunteer Award 2009 at the annual Salus Dinner for Volunteers in January 2010.
